Aga Khan Museum Marks 10th Anniversary with Exhilarating In-Person Experiences, Expanded Online Offerings, and a Site-Wide Festival
The Aga Khan Museum proudly announces a monumental year of exciting programs and digital experiences celebrating a decade of impact and achievement. With an exceptional lineup of exhibitions, events, and innovative digital offerings, the Museum invites visitors to explore its inspiring journey of fostering connections through intercultural dialogue.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240909916550/en/
The Aga Khan Museum proudly announces a monumental year of exciting programs and digital experiences celebrating a decade of impact and achievement. As part of the year-long celebration, visitors will enjoy a selection of curated exhibitions and programs that reference the Museum’s spectacular architecture, its founding vision of light, and its history over the past 10 years. Photo credit: Janet Kimber.
“Over the past 10 years, the Aga Khan Museum has steadily grown its impact as a beacon of cultural exchange, fostering understanding and appreciation of the rich, diverse tapestry of Muslim cultures and their interconnectedness with the world,” reflects Dr. Ulrike Al-Khamis, Director and CEO of the Aga Khan Museum. “As we look forward to further driving the Museum’s relevance and impact into the future, our commitment to serving our audiences is stronger than ever. We are excited to continue evolving in line with their needs and our mandate to positively impact lives and contribute to resilient, peaceful, pluralistic societies.”
As part of the year-long celebration, visitors will enjoy a selection of curated exhibitions that reference the Museum’s spectacular architecture, its founding vision of light, and its history over the past 10 years:
- Aga Khan Museum: Celebrating the Past, Reimagining the Future
On display: September 7, 2024–June, 2025
Located in the Rasheed Dhuka and Nooruddin Khawja Family Gallery, this special exhibition is a dynamic showcase of photographs and video material, charting the Museum’s evolution and programs over the past decade. It invites visitors to reflect on the Museum’s transformative journey and envisions its future as a catalyst for intercultural understanding through the arts.
- Light: Visionary Perspectives
On display until March 17, 2025
An homage to His Highness the Aga Khan’s vision of light as inspiration for the Museum’s architecture and mandate, the immersive exhibition features internationally acclaimed contemporary artists from around the world, each engaging with the theme of light. Ten breathtaking installations explore the diverse qualities and symbolism of light — from its physical presence to its metaphorical and spiritual manifestations.Signature Sponsor: Orbital Technologies Inc.
Presenting Sponsor: Sunray Group
- Moon
On display: September 24, 2024–March 17, 2025
Luke Jerram’s Moon — the centrepiece in the Museum’s most successful exhibition to date, The Moon: A Voyage Through Time (2019) – returns by popular demand. This internally illuminated replica moon, measuring five metres in diameter, seeks to fill us with calm, hope and wonder in complex times, and to remind us of the many ways we are all connected.
Over the past 10 years, the Museum has become a dynamic cornerstone in the community, hosting an array of events and festivals that empower meaningful intercultural and intergenerational encounters and connections. These vibrant celebrations are a testament to the Museum’s commitment to fostering pluralism through the arts, while showcasing the rich and inclusive diversity of Canada. This year, the Museum is excited to present:
- EnlighTEN x Global Toronto Music Festival
September 28–29, 2024
Marking the Museum’s biggest celebration this year, visitors will enjoy a site-wide festival presented in partnership with Small World Music. A collaborative element of the Global Toronto Music Festival, the festival will feature a diverse lineup of free live performances, creative workshops and activities for the whole family, and a special cake-cutting ceremony.
- Duende Flamenco Festival: Vida Al Andalus
November 14–17, 2024
Also in its 10th year, the Museum’s annual Duende Flamenco Festival returns with a celebration of contemporary flamenco’s rich history, influenced by over 800 years of Muslim rule in Iberia. Blending elements from Rajasthan, the Balkans, Ottoman Türkiye, and North Africa, the festival will spotlight the Roma communities where flamenco originated and continues to thrive.
The Museum’s Performing Arts programming is generously supported by the Nanji Family Foundation.
With several innovative digital launches, the Museum marks an exciting step toward reaching global audiences in creative ways. These platforms welcome deeper engagement opportunities for online visitors, sparking new ways to explore programming, while providing the best user experience throughout.
- Connected
Launching early 2025, the Museum’s brand-new streaming service will allow online audiences to experience the wonders of the Museum right on their screens. Through a yearly subscription, members will unlock exclusive access to a growing library of inspiring content, including public programs filmed on-site and a series of livestreams of Museum events.
- Updated Website
Prioritizing user experience and intuitive navigation, the new website offers an intuitive online journey with enhanced accessibility. Alongside the update, the Museum has digitized 12 historical manuscripts — some of the most significant artworks in its holdings.The Aga Khan Museum’s website redesign and system integration project is funded by the Government of Canada under the Community Services Recovery Fund.
- Learn
The Museum has launched significant enhancements to its educational offerings through a new Learn feature on the newly designed website. Learn provides curious minds of all ages access to a wealth of educational resources. Content highlights include online courses, teachers’ resources, virtual tours, and a diverse selection of videos showcasing artists, curators, and subject-matter experts — all designed to enrich the learning experience.
This exhilarating year of celebration showcases the Museum’s achievements and future aspirations as a locally and internationally recognized art institution where inclusive, intercultural dialogue and human connection flourish through the arts.
To learn more about the Museum’s anniversary celebrations, visit agakhanmuseum.org.
The Aga Khan Museum acknowledges the support of its government partners, including the Government of Canada, the Canada Council for the Arts, the Government of Ontario, the Ontario Arts Council and the Toronto Arts Council.
About the Aga Khan Museum
The Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, Canada, has been established and developed by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), which is an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). Through permanent and temporary exhibitions, educational activities and performing arts, the Museum’s mission is to spark wonder, curiosity, and understanding of Muslim cultures and their connection with other cultures through the arts. Designed by architect Fumihiko Maki, the Museum shares a 6.8-hectare site with Toronto’s Ismaili Centre, which was designed by architect Charles Correa. The surrounding landscaped park was designed by landscape architect Vladimir Djurovic.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240909916550/en/
