Qatar Museums Unveils Landmark Exhibition Exploring a Millennium of Uzbek Islamic Heritage

Organised by the Museum of Islamic Art in collaboration with Uzbekistan’s Art and Culture Development Foundation, a comprehensive new survey of Uzbek heritage is set to open to the public.

Qatar Museums will launch “Uzbekistan: Heritage in Motion” at the Museum of Islamic Art’s Sheikh Saoud Al Thani Temporary Exhibitions Gallery. The exhibition will run from 3 September to 28 November, 2026, drawing upon more than 1,000 years of artistic and cultural history ranging from the eighth century CE to the modern day.

The exhibition brings together 146 objects, featuring monumental paintings, Timurid architectural fragments, scientific manuscripts, ceramics, jewellery, and textiles. These items are sourced from the collections of the Museum of Islamic Art, the National Collection of Qatar, Lusail Museum, Qatar National Library, and 13 cultural institutions across Uzbekistan, including the Afrasiab Museum in Samarkand and the Margilan Crafts Development Center.

Shaika Al-Nassr, Director of the Museum of Islamic Art, highlighted the institution's role in celebrating global Islamic culture and shared human heritage alongside colleagues from the Art and Culture Development Foundation.

Curated by Uzbekistan-born curator Anastasiya Silkatcheva, the exhibition explores how traditional practices continue to influence contemporary art, architecture, and craft. Silkatcheva noted that the showcase provides the most comprehensive overview of Uzbek heritage in three decades, presenting the nation as a vibrant crossroads of civilisations rather than a culture frozen in time.

The exhibition is structured across four distinct sections: Beyond the River, Building Earth and Empire, Architects of Thought and Image, and Legacies of Clay and Thread.

Key highlights include a seventh-century wall painting from the Ambassadors’ Hall at Afrasiab, interactive brickwork decoration displays, and an immersive space evoking a mausoleum complete with a cenotaph from Khiva. Additionally, the exhibition features a presentation on the Qatari-supported restoration of the Bibi Khanym Mosque in Samarkand, alongside historical manuscripts and scientific instruments reflecting the legacies of al-Khwarizmi, al-Biruni, and Ulugh Beg.

Traditional crafts are also prominently featured, with functioning silk looms, early modern ikat robes, works on paper by modern Uzbek miniaturist and Museum of Islamic Art Artist in Residence Davlat Toshev, and garments designed by Madina Kasimbaeva.

Presented with the support of Visit Qatar, the exhibition further strengthens institutional ties between Qatar Museums and the Art and Culture Development Foundation, marking a significant milestone in their ongoing partnership for conservation and public programming.