Museum With No Frontiers

Set in a former workshop of the Vista Alegre porcelain factory, the Vista Alegre Museum in Ílhavo, Portugal, is a testament to cultural and industrial history. Its exhibitions showcase porcelain, glass, photographs, and documents that highlight human, cultural, and technological heritage. A must-visit for lovers of craftsmanship and history. https://lnkd.in/dU_NbNbY

Happy New Year! As we step into a new year, let’s look back at the wisdom of the past. This Astrological Almanac from the Ottoman Empire reminds us of the deep connections between time, the cosmos, and our shared humanity. It features intricate tables to track the mansions of the moon, the Persian New Year, and even auguries tied to natural wonders like earthquakes and thunder. A timeless reminder that every year brings cycles of mystery, insight, and renewal. bit.ly/3rT9bGm

Explore Tunisia’s Islamic architectural wonders in Ifriqiya. From mosques to palaces, discover centuries of artistic evolution influenced by diverse traditions. Available in Deutsch, English, Español, Français, and Italiano. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/d8E_DRKf

In the eastern section of Amman’s Roman theatre, the Jordan Museum for Costumes and Jewellery exhibits a comprehensive collection of clothing, textiles and silver jewellery from the West and East Bank. Founded in 1971 by the Department of Antiquities, the museum illustrates in detail the variety of traditional costumes of men and women from cities, villages and Bedouin communities. The exhibition gives the visitor the opportunity to know more about daily and domestic life, work and traditional craftsmanship, illustrating through textiles, embroidery and costume the meaning of decorative patterns, revealing the trousseau each woman prepared since childhood for her marriage and showing the importance of jewellery in relation to events such as marriage and dowry. The costumes and jewellery are also important examples of how local craftsmanship was a significant source of trade and income. Read more: https://lnkd.in/dKZ_4uQ7

A Christmas Tale of Faith and Beauty: The Basilica of Estrela The Basilica of Estrela in Lisbon is a masterpiece of devotion and Baroque artistry. Born from Queen Maria I's vow in 1760, it was inaugurated in 1789, with Pompeo Batoni's stunning altar painting and Joaquim Machado de Castro's terracotta Nativity scene—featuring over 500 figurines—among its treasures. Merry Christmas! May this season fill your hearts with joy and wonder.

Step into Portugal’s golden age with The Manueline. Explore this unique style born during the Great Discoveries, blending artistic innovation with cultural splendor. Available in English, Español, Français, and Português. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/dvkA9gyR

The National Museum of Antiquities and Islamic Art is the oldest museum in Algeria and Africa. The collection was set up in 1835, five years after the French occupation, by the then Governor General Marshal Clauzel who appointed Adrien Berbrugger as its first curator. From 1838 onward, the early museum hosted pieces, of Algerian provenance, from Antiquity up until the Ottoman periods. Between 1838 and 1896, this early museum occupied different places of the lower Casbah, before settling in a beautiful park located on the heights of Mustapha Pasha - now known as the Park of Liberty - where it was officially inaugurated in 1897. Since then these two divisions of the museum’s collection, Antiquity and Islamic, have continued to grow. This collection makes it possible to exhibit the history of Algeria from its Libyan-Punic era through to the 20th century. The objects are displayed in two separate buildings: one houses the pre-Islamic collection whilst the other houses the collection of Islamic art, which was inaugurated in May 2003. Read more: https://lnkd.in/d7pj9sg7

Florence’s Egyptian Museum is second only in Italy to the Egyptian Museum in Turin. Egyptian artefacts were already held in the 18th century in the Medici-Lorena collections, but during the 19th century these increased thanks to the efforts of the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Leopold II, who sponsored a scientific expedition to Egypt in 1828 and 1829. The expedition was led by Jean François Champollion, the hieroglyphics decipherer, and by Ippolito Rosellini, the father of Italian Egyptology; the material collected during the expedition was divided between the Louvre in Paris and Florence. In 1855 the Egyptian Museum in Florence was formally established. Ernesto Schiaparelli, its director, reorganised the collection in the 1880s. Currently the museum houses over 14,000 pieces ranging from prehistoric material to the Coptic period, with steles, statues and statuettes, coffins, textiles, furniture, vases and amulets. Read more: https://lnkd.in/dJbJcfdD

Uncover 13 centuries of Islamic art in Discover Islamic Art. This collaborative work spans the Mediterranean's great dynasties, offering diverse perspectives on history, art, and culture. Available in العربية, Deutsch, English, Español, Français, Italiano, Português, and Türkçe. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/dm3jNgH9

Built in Honolulu, Hawai'i from 1936–1938, Shangri La overlooks the Pacific Ocean and Diamond Head and houses Doris Duke’s (1912–1993) collection of Islamic art. Of the many homes that Duke inhabited, Shangri La is the only one that she built from the ground up and filled from the inside out. The five-acre complex integrates a 14,000-square-foot house, a Playhouse, and a pool, comprising a series of interlocking spaces, both indoors and out: rooms, courtyards, lanais, terraces, gardens, and numerous water features. While design and early construction were underway, Duke traveled extensively in the Middle East, visiting historical monuments and providing the architect with photographs of architectural decoration to be incorporated into Shangri La's design. She also placed large commissions with contemporary artisans in India, Morocco, Iran, and Syria to create art and architectural elements, utilizing traditional forms, patterns, and means of fabrication. Read more: https://lnkd.in/dnXtG5Wv