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Arts of Islamic Lands: Selections from The al-Sabah Collection, Kuwait
Law Building, Ground Floor
1001 Bissonnet
About the exhibition
Islamic masterworks from Kuwait’s renowned al-Sabah Collection come to the MFAH as part of a long-term collaboration with the cultural institution Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah (DAI). The privately held al-Sabah Collection is one of the greatest collections of Islamic art in the world, and the partnership initiates a historic exchange of objects, staff, and expertise.
Among the highlights showcased in this display are spectacular Mughal jewelry, illuminated manuscripts, exquisite ceramics, and intricately decorated ceiling panels. More than 60 examples from the 8th to 18th centuries are on view, made in the Iberian Peninsula, North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. The collection also includes carpets, glass and metalwork, paintings, architectural fragments, scientific instruments, and works on paper.
This exhibition marks the first in a renewable, five-year agreement that enables the MFAH to present the glorious achievement of Islamic visual culture in a comprehensive display. The legendary al-Sabah Collection was founded by Sheikh Nasser Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah and his wife, Sheikha Hussah Sabah al-Salem al-Sabah. The collection preserves and presents all aspects of Islamic art and comprises more than 30,000 pieces.
Entrance to this exhibition is included with your museum admission.
MFAH Members receive free general admission.