The Aga Khan Museum in Toronto opened to the public 10 years ago today!

Designed by Moriyama Teshima Architects and Maki and Associates, the Aga Khan Museum is an initiative of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network. Through permanent and temporary exhibitions, educational programs and cultural events, the building fosters knowledge and understanding of Islamic civilization and its artistic, intellectual, scientific, and religious heritage. It houses collections of Islamic art and heritage, including artifacts from the private collections of His Highness the Aga Khan, the Institute of Ismaili Studies in London, and Prince and Princess Sadruddin Aga Khan.

Light was the primary inspiration for the project – the museum acts as a vessel that is both animated and sculpted by light in myriad ways: casting patterns on the exterior walls of Brazilian granite, enhancing interior spaces, or illuminating the open-roofed courtyard. Symbolizing the theme of Knowledge and Ideas, this play of geometry and light reflect a rich repository of Islamic history and culture.

“I hope that the building and the spaces around it will be seen as the celebration of Light, and the mysteries of Light, that nature and the human soul illustrate to us at every moment in our lives.”
– His Highness the Aga Khan