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The Islamic Art Museum

The Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo is considered to be one of the largest and oldest museums in the world. The museum hosts more than 104,000 displays reflecting the greatness of the Islamic civilization in Egypt and the whole Islamic world and showing how it has flourished and changed throughout history.

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Many Museum of Islamic Art displays were gathered from Arab and non-Arab nations and individuals who sold or donated their belongings to the museum. The museum hosts many exhibits that date back to the beginning of the Islamic era up to the period of the family of Mohamed Ali.
The Museum of Islamic Art has many different types of displays, including metal and wooden works, carpets, rare copies of the Qur'an, coins, minibars, and many other exhibits that amaze the museum's visitors worldwide.
The Establishment Of The Museum Of Islamic Art
The idea of establishing the Museum of Islamic Art goes back to 1880 when Egyptian authorities collected all the precious pieces of Islamic art from several mosques, other structures, and buildings and stored them in the eastern section of Al Hakem Mosque on Al Mui'z Street in Cairo.
Shortly afterward, these antiquities were displayed in a small museum specially built in the open courtyard of the Al Hakem Mosque called the House of Arabian Antiquities. The Museum of Islamic Art displays remained in that location until the museum's building in 1903, and it was officially opened for public visits on December 28, 1903. After the Egyptian Revolution in 1952, the museum was renamed the Museum of Islamic Art. 

Displays In The Museum

The number of displays at the Museum of Islamic Art has increased and multiplied many times since its establishment. The museum had only around 7,000 exhibits when it first opened in 1903, but that number increased to 78,000 in 1978, 96,000 in the recent past, and over 100,000 pieces today. 

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The Museum of Islamic Art displays were gathered from many different locations around Egypt. This includes the ruins of the cities of Fustat and Askar, the first Islamic capitals of Egypt before the establishment of Cairo. Some other displays were brought from Aswan, Tanis in the Nile Delta, Rashid, and Luxor. This is in addition to many other displays that were sold or donated to the museum by individuals from all over the world.
Today, the Museum of Islamic Art displays some of the rarest exhibits, including pottery, pieces of cloth, rocks with Islamic writings, colored windows, and many other displays. There is also a collection of Persian and Turkish ceramics that the museum bought in 1945.

Carpet Collection

The Museum of Islamic Art also displays an extensive collection of Arabian carpets from many mosques and historical houses around Egypt.
The collection of carpets of the Museum grew massively when the museum took the selection of carpets that used to belong to Ali Pasha Ibrahim in 1949, considered one of the largest and most valuable collections of carpets in the world at the time.
Among the most distinctive displays of the museum is a tomb cover that dates back to the year 652 A.D., 12 years after Muslims took control of Egypt.
The Museum of Islamic Art also hosts many other rare displays, like the pitcher found in a village near the governorate of Fayoum. This pitcher was part of the items found in the tomb of Marwan Ibn Mohamed, the last Caliph of Beni Omaya. It was made out of Bronze, and it is 41 centimeters high, and its diameter is 28 centimeters. This pitcher is one of the most elegant displays in the Museum of Islamic Art.

Wooden Collection In The Museum

The Museum of Islamic Art displays some marvelous wooden objects that reflect how skillful early Muslims were in manufacturing and carving wood. Wood carving flourished greatly during the Fatimid era when the wood was decorated and cut in two styles. Some wooden decorations were found in the complex of Sultan Qalaun in El Mui'z Street that were initially brought from the Western Fatimid Palace in the area of Bein El Qasrein in Islamic Cairo. They were displayed in the museum and illustrate how clever and creative the Fatimid workers and artisans must have been.
Many wooden objects manufactured during the Mamluk and Ottoman periods were decorated with mother of pearl and ivory. Examples of these objects are the Qur'an holder and the chair from the Madrasa of Um El Sultan Sha'ban.
Displays From The Fatimid Period
The Museum of Islamic Art has some of the most beautiful antiquities that date back to the Fatimid period. This collection includes some remarkable jewelry, especially a plain golden ring, another ring with plant ornaments, and a wonderful statue of an antelope made out of Bronze.

Displays From The Mamluk Period

The Mamluks ruled over Egypt considerably and influenced Egyptian history in many ways. This is perfectly reflected in the extensive collection of Museum of Islamic Art displays that date back to the Mamluk period. The Mamluk collection of the museum includes many lamps used to light the historical mosques of Cairo. The most interesting among these lamps is an eight-sided Chandelier with three layers, a dome-shaped top, and incredible Islamic decorations on its glass. This lamp was from the magnificent Sultan Hassan Mosque, constructed in 1362.
Many marvelous displays in the Museum of Islamic Art that date back to the period of the Mamluks. Among these is the pencil box rich with gold and silver decorations named Sultan Al Mansur Mohamed, the Mamluk Sultan who died in 1363. There is also a wonderful candleholder manufactured in 1473 during the reign of Sultan Qaitbey. The candle holder has excellent Islamic writings in the shape of some flames. This is besides many metal items that were gathered from Iraq, Iran, Yemen, and many other Islamic countries.

The Section Of Islamic Ceramics

The Museum of Islamic Art displays some rare collections of Islamic ceramics whose manufacture has flourished in the Islamic world since the early days of Islam. The most remarkable among these items is the collection of the shining Abbasid ceramics. A sahn or an open courtyard has been founded in the museum to exhibit the different types of ceramics. This Sahn dates back thousands of years. There are also some Andalusian open courtyards with many marvelous ceramics, Iranian ceramics, Chinese porcelain, and other antiquities.
The museum offers the guests an excellent illustration of the development of ceramic production in Egypt and the Islamic world. The Mamluks played a significant role in this development when they tried to copy the notable Chinese ceramics, especially those with blue decorations and a white background. The museum also has ceramics produced in Turkish cities, like Iznik, during the Ottoman period. Among the most distinctive rare ceramics in the museum are some tiles made by Chinese Muslims, such as a box made out of porcelain that says "Thank God" on it.

The Wooden Collection Of The Museum

The Museum of Islamic Art displays some marvelous wooden objects that reflect how skillful the Muslims were in manufacturing and carving wood.
The art of wood carving flourished greatly during the Fatimids era when the wood was decorated and carved in two different levels, proving how skillful the artists of this period were.
Some wooden decorations that were found in the complex of Sultan Qalaun in El Mui'z Street that were initially brought from the Western Fatimid Palace in the area of Bein El Qasrein in Islamic Cairo are put on display in the museum, and they illustrate how clever and creative the Fatimid workers and artisans must have been.
Many wooden objects manufactured during the Mamluk and Ottoman periods were decorated with mother of pearl and ivory. Examples of these objects are the Quran holder and the chair from the Madrasa of Um El Sultan Sha'ban.

Collection Of Copies Of The Qur'an And Collection Of Carpets

A whole section in the Museum of Islamic Art was specified for different types of copies of the Qur'an. Most of the displays in this section date back to the Ottoman period made out of gold. There are many other decoration styles and marvelous types of Arabic calligraphy.

Lamp Collection In The Museum

The Museum of Islamic Art features some beautiful lamps that were used to light mosques in Egypt and other countries.

Reopening Of The Museum After Restoration

After around seven years of extensive restoration work, starting in 2003, former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak reopened the museum. The museum was closed to restore the building, which was constructed back in 1903 in the reign of Khedive Abbas Helmi II. The museum's restoration costs were estimated to be around 10 million dollars.

Hours Of Operation

  • Open Daily 9:00 AM-5:00 PM
  • 9:00 AM-3:00 PM during Ramadan

Ticket Cost

General Admission: 150 LE

Student rates are available to bearers of a valid student ID from an Egyptian university or an International Student ID Card (ISIC)

Location

Midan Bab Al-Khalq

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