Hands On: The Fitzwilliam Museum

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Despite housing exceptional collections of Islamic art, Cambridge’s museums and colleges have lacked curatorial expertise in the field. Dr. Mariam Rosser-Owen’s project, supported by The Barakat Trust, brings together leading scholars, curators, and students to reveal and interpret Cambridge’s Islamic holdings.

Through workshops, cataloguing sessions, and a public programme delivered as part of the Cambridge Festival, the project will generate new research, enhance online catalogues, and present these collections to the public. A series of “bitesize” videos, a public roundtable, and collaborations with Cambridge Visual Culture will ensure the project has lasting educational and outreach benefits.

This project is a crucial step towards integrating Islamic art into the University of Cambridge’s programming, public engagement, and heritage interpretation.

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