The Aga Khan Museum has three primary exhibition spaces. On the first floor, the Collections Gallery and Bellerive Room are dedicated to showcasing the Museum’s Permanent Collection. In the Collections Gallery, visitors can enjoy rotating displays of nearly 200 masterpieces reflecting a broad range of artistic styles and representing more than ten centuries of human history. In the Bellerive Room, visitors are invited to explore selections from the impressive ceramic collection of the late Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan and Princess Catherine Aga Khan.
Click here to learn about the Museum's Collection.
On the second floor, the Aga Khan Museum presents several special exhibitions each year that feature works from the Museum alongside art from partner museums and installations by contemporary artists. These displays are complemented by performing arts programs, lectures, and workshops.
How long does the feeling of being in transition last?
Rumi invites visitors to explore the life and timeless legacy of one of history's most impactful poets.
Visit Rumi from the comfort of home in 3D
Open your senses and experience the unknown that lies just beyond your awareness.
If the herring set the table, who comes for dinner?
Dive into the fragility and complexity of life underwater through a series of photographs by renowned wildlife photographer Prince Hussain Aga Khan.
"We all roam this earth and share its waters during our flight through life.”
– Night in the Garden of Love, page 63
Parts of the gallery are refreshed twice a year with themed installations that explore special topics and allow light-sensitive materials to rest.
Parts of the gallery are refreshed twice a year with themed installations that explore special topics and allow light-sensitive materials to rest.
Look beyond the physical world and explore an intimate spiritual dimension.
Located in the Museum's Temporary Exhibition Gallery, Afghanistan My Love highlights Afghanistan as a place of cultural richness, diversity, and deep love.
“You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop” — Jalal al-Din Rumi
Commemorating over 50 years of immigration of Shi'a Imami Ismaili Muslims to Canada.
The Museum Collections Gallery is dedicated to showcasing the artistic achievements and lasting legacies of Muslim civilizations between the 9th and 19th centuries.
Question the notion of man-made borders in nature by examining the plight of the Kelaynak with a poetic installation by Hakan Topal.
Click here to visit The Golden Cage in 3D!
Explore the outdoor exhibition on display in the Aga Khan Park.
Digital exhibition experience available now.
In the age of visual overload, how do we remind ourselves of the deeper meaning and power that images have held throughout history?
The Museum Collection Gallery is dedicated to showcasing the artistic achievements and lasting legacies of Muslim civilizations between the 9th and 19th centuries.
Cocks do not fight for their household gods, for the monuments of their ancestors, for glory, for liberty or for the safety of their children, but only because one will not give way to the other.
- Themistocles
Embark on a life-affirming quest across continents and cultures — without leaving the calming environs of the Aga Khan Park.
See the Aga Khan Museum in a new light with Ghazaleh Azarzamani’s exhibition *Terms and Conditions Apply.
See 1,000 years of history leap off the page on a book-fuelled journey across the Silk Roads.
What does it mean to be Canadian in the 21st century? A new art installation at the Aga Khan Museum challenges audiences to express their own idea of what it means to be Canadian from the rusting — literally — remains of stories from the past.
What do a ball, stick, rope, and hoop represent to you?
State of Play, the Aga Khan Museum’s new multifaceted exhibition, shows the transformative nature of the games people play.
The Collections Gallery is dedicated to showcasing the artistic achievements and lasting legacies of Muslim civilizations between the 9th and 19th centuries.
The Museum’s latest outdoor photo exhibition encourages you to reflect upon what “home” means to you while celebrating the astonishing beauty of the natural world.
Digital exhibition experience available now.
Beloved masterpieces in the Aga Khan Museum’s Collection. New, exhilarating ways to immerse yourself in timeless stories of courage, love, and living well.
Remix tradition with this striking show celebrating the work and ideas of Baku-based artist Faig Ahmed.
Bask in the sleek magnificence of a fortified metropolis celebrating the glories of an ancient African trade hub and the limitless possibilities of the future.
A rare, monumental Persian carpet, on display in Canada for the first time, reveals the link between the words “paradise” and “garden.”
Peer behind the headlines of the global refugee crisis with this series of portraits celebrating the individuality of migrant women in Greece.
Contemplate our shared humanity in a space that explores the many dimensions of sanctuary through the work of 36 contemporary artists.
The Collections Gallery is dedicated to showcasing the artistic achievements and lasting legacies of Muslim civilizations between the 9th and 19th centuries.
Explore the post-migrant experience in this art project created by a collaboration between the Museum and the Benetton Foundation.
Enter an enchanted realm of small-scale LEGO® sculptures, featuring rogue queens, intrepid desert caravans, and terrifying Saharan scorpions.
Travel back in time across the Sahara Desert and discover the thriving African empires that connected the medieval world
The Collections Gallery is dedicated to showcasing the artistic achievements and lasting legacies of Muslim civilizations between the 9th and 19th centuries.
Enjoy the photography of a group of young Toronto students, documenting their vision for the world of tomorrow.
Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first human steps on the moon by discovering the wonder, knowledge, and beauty the moon has inspired through the ages.
Explore a free installation showcasing globally-celebrated artist Sanaz Mazinani’s kaleidoscopic visuals and rethink what you see.
Back by popular demand is Your Way Begins on the Other Side. This extraordinary tapestry was made using 1.2 million gold-plated steel pins by artist Aisha Khalid. Don’t miss the selected paintings and prints of Khalid’s renowned teacher, the artist Zahoor ul Akhlaq, “the father of contemporary Pakistani art,” whose life was tragically cut short. Finally, enjoy a rare viewing of a unique embroidered robe, gifted to the Museum by Princess Catherine Aga Khan from Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan’s personal collection.
Artist Kevork Mourad transforms the temporary exhibition galleries with an immersive installation.
Bear witness to the complex dynamics that impacted the arts of a society at a crossroads between tradition and transformation during a century of turbulent change.
Experience the passion for opulence among the princes of India. Exquisite objects decorated with gems and carved from semi-precious stone reflect life at the courts.
Artist Javid a.k.a. JAH’s new exhibition in our Reflecting Pools explores sacred geometries.
Saudi women’s stories take wing in the installation Suspended Together. A flock of white doves in the Museum atrium represent an artist’s reponse to travel restrictions.
For the first time, the Aga Khan Park’s serene reflecting pools are transformed into a dramatic exhibition venue. This free outdoor art installation, presented in partnership with the Scotiabank
Throughout history, monuments, architecture, libraries and works of art have been subject to systematic damage and destruction in an attempt to erase knowledge and artistic achievements.
The World of the Fatimids bears witness to a remarkable dynasty that built the world’s oldest university, compiled one of its greatest libraries, and fostered a flowering of the arts and sciences. At its height in the 10th and 11th centuries, the Fatimids established one of the greatest civilizations in the world, influencing knowledge and culture throughout the Mediterranean, Europe, and the Near East.
Join us for a truly unique, multi-sensory experience as the Aga Khan Museum transforms into a mesmerizing world of music celebrating the living traditions of the Muslim world and their interaction with other cultures through time and space.
Experience the work of Parviz Tanavoli, acclaimed Iranian-Canadian artist, at the Aga Khan Museum! Three of Tanavoli’s sculptures — Poet in Love, 2009; Big Heech, 2014; and Tanavoli’s most recent work, Horizontal Lovers, 2016 — are now in display in the Aga Khan Park. This not-to-be-missed temporary installation marks the first time that Tanavoli’s Horizontal Lovers, sculpted entirely from bronze, is on public display for all to enjoy.
Fall under the spell of rare objects that entranced the Renaissance masters! The Bruschettini Collection is renowned worldwide for its fine arts from the East — yet has never before been seen in North America. In a special exhibition exclusive to the Aga Khan Museum, discover a sumptuous selection of artworks.
What can an ancient Roman carving from the Museum’s Collection, reused and repurposed throughout time, tell us about being Canadian? The answers lie HERE. Experience Museum-wide installations of video, textiles, painting, and sculpture that convey the diversity of more than 20 artists. Think differently about identity this summer, and join us in celebrating Canada’s 150 years as a nation.
“It’s hard not to think of Afghan girls skateboarding as an unlikely clash of cultures. But when you see these children tearing around the skate park, shrieking with laughter, your preconceptions drop away... I hope that this collection captures something of their spirit: their joy in life, their individuality, and their community.” — Jessica Fulford-Dobson
Syrian Symphony orchestrates music, painting, and media arts by some of Syria’s leading artists and musicians. Along with contributions from other organizations such as Iconem, Atassi Foundation, COSTI, and Silkroad, this exhibition explores the roles of art and artists during times of upheaval and conflict.
Cultural rebellion and lyrical reflection come together in this world-premiere exhibition showcasing one of the most important collections of contemporary Iranian art. Encounter the works of 23 artists who have chosen self-expression over silence — men and women separated by generations but united in their desire to explore complex issues against a backdrop of political and social unrest.
Few countries have captured the world’s attention like Syria has today. Stories of conflict and displacement dominate the media and define people’s awareness of the place. Syria: A Living History brings together artifacts and artworks that tell a different story — one of cultural diversity, historical continuity, resourcefulness, and resilience. For over five millennia, this region perched on the eastern Mediterranean has witnessed great world civilizations comingling on its soil and producing art, literature, and culture that constitute the country’s rich legacy.
A breathtaking gateway to Muslim civilizations in Europe, the Alhambra in Granada, Spain is an architectural masterpiece. How can a contemporary architect complement its design, adding a visitors’ centre for the millions of people who flock to the site each year? Discover the vision — and artistic challenge — of Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza in this exciting exhibition. Álvaro Siza: Gateway to the Alhambra reveals the creative process and artistic genius of one of today’s greatest living architects.
They roam the pages of countless legends, tales and fables, and have inspired artists for centuries. Meet the marvellous creatures of such classic literature as the Shahnameh and Kalila wa Dimna. Through an astonishing variety of media — including manuscripts, textiles, ceramics, jewellery, glass, and metalwork from the 7th to the 21st centuries — the exhibition Marvellous Creatures celebrates these real and mythical animals and illuminates the knowledge contained in their stories.
The city we now know as Istanbul has been an important cultural and economic hub for centuries. Under its many guises — first as Byzantium, then Constantinople, and finally Kostantiniyye/Istanbul — this magnificent place has witnessed a succession of empires, the migration of peoples, and astounding urban growth.
Prepare yourself for a journey through memory and imagination with this remarkable installation piece by acclaimed Iranian photographer, poet, and filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami. Walls and doors are both boundaries and barriers. Yet doors offer us hope of entry or of escape — hope for connection, for finding another world, for finding freedom. With this evocative premise, Abbas Kiarostami presents the world premiere of his installation piece, Doors Without Keys.
Pushing boundaries, testing limits: this powerful exhibition from the Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah, UAE runs the gamut from photography to installation, sculpture to painting, and more. Experience the work of 12 Arab artists who examine how private life is shaped by current political events.
In an exclusive Canadian showing, A Thirst for Riches: Carpets from the East in Paintings from the West points to the active history of trade between Europe and Muslim civilizations while exploring how beautiful objects acquire new meanings as they are exchanged.
The Muslim and Christian worlds collide in Armide, an opera in which the invincible Christian knight Renaud and the Muslim warrior princess Armide play out their doomed love affair against a backdrop of hopeless obsession, jealousy, and magic.
British painter, printmaker, and collector Howard Hodgkin (b. 1932) has been passionate about Indian culture, geography, and history for most of his life. Given this passion and his frequent visits to the country over a period of some 50 years, it is not surprising that India has had a lasting influence on his own work. For viewers, tracing this inspiration through paintings spanning Hodgkin’s career is an exhilarating experience.
The second half of the 16th century until the first half of the 19th century was a time of cultural merging that saw Persian themes, Indian colours, and Western influences find their way into Indian architecture and art.
In 1998, an Arab ship carrying goods from China was discovered at the bottom of the Indian Ocean off Belitung Island, Indonesia. Dating from the 9th century (China’s Tang Dynasty), the Belitung shipwreck is the earliest Arab vessel of this period to be found with a complete cargo, including silver ingots, bronze mirrors, spice-filled jars, intricately worked vessels of silver and gold, and thousands of ceramic bowls, ewers, and other vessels. Uncovering its mysterious origins reveals the interconnections between two great powers, the Tang and Abbasid Empires, whose influence collectively stretched from the East China Sea to North Africa.
Created for pleasure, spiritual reflection, and aesthetic contemplation, gardens have held many meanings. Beyond their beauty, they represent the human impulse to organize, contain, and collect the natural world. Without cultivation a garden would cease to exist. Similarly, without cultivation of the mind and the soul, it is believed a society cannot progress.
A lion at rest is captured in elegant strokes of black ink. The court of the epic King Keyomars is celebrated in vivid colours. A hero slaying a dragon is depicted in exquisite detail. The stellar works of art that make up the exhibition In Search of the Artist: Signed Drawings and Paintings from the Aga Khan Museum Collection depict a wide range of themes with extraordinary delicacy.