Islam

Room 42: Islamic Art

Islamic Middle East

The V&A holds over 19,000 items from the Middle East and North Africa, ranging from the early Islamic period (the 7th century) to the early 20th century. The collections include holdings of metalwork, ceramics, architectural woodwork and textiles, in particular from Iran, and also from Turkey, Egypt, Iraq, Syria and the countries of North Africa.

Exhibition - Jameel Prize

The Jameel Prize is an international award for contemporary art and design inspired by Islamic tradition. Its aim is to explore the relationship between Islamic traditions of art, craft and design and contemporary work as part of a wider debate about Islamic culture and its role today.

Islamic architecture

This is the subject hub for Islamic architecture

Religions

This is the subject hub for Religion

The Ardabil Carpet

The Ardabil Carpet, is the world's oldest dated carpet and one of the largest, most beautiful and historically important in the world. In 2006, the V&A created a case in the centre of Room 42: The Jameel Gallery of Islamic Art, so that the carpet could be seen as intended, on the floor. To preserve its colours, it is lit for ten minutes on the hour and half-hour.

Islamic art & design

This is the subject hub for Islamic art & design

Islamic art resources

These resources include ways of introducing Islamic Art in the V&A’s collections to primary pupils through cross- curricular work and to secondary classes through art & design projects at school and in the Museum.

International Training Course

The Victoria and Albert Museum welcomes applications for ‘Creating Innovative Learning Programmes’, its new one week intensive course. This is a unique training opportunity for museum professionals from overseas who are interested in attracting and programming for a range of museum audiences.

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