Mosque: Faith, Culture, Community

Discover the mosque at the heart of communities, and the diversity of Islamic culture showcased through art and objects.

'Mosque: Faith, Culture, Community' has been developed by the Museum in partnership with Christchurch Muslims who are keen to share knowledge and understanding about Islam, and the diversity of those who follow the faith, with the wider community.

The exhibition highlights the role of the mosque as the centre of religious life and the place where people meet, exchange news, learn and celebrate. In a video made for the exhibition, Muslims who worship at Christchurch’s mosques – Al-Noor, the Linwood Islamic Centre and the Rasul-O-Allah Centre, Bishopdale – talk about what their mosque means to them. Objects on display from the Museum collection and the community illustrate the influence of differing cultures on expressions of the Muslim faith.

The tragic events of 15 March 2019 are commemorated in a small display of the tributes left outside the Linwood and Al-Noor Mosques and the Botanic Gardens in an outpouring of love, support and solidarity for the victims. The headscarf worn by the Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern, during public events at the time is also displayed. She donated it to the Museum in late 2019.

'Mosque: Faith, Culture, Community' features 33 drawings of mosques drawn on location by internationally acclaimed Syrian-America artist and architect Wahbi Al-Hariri Rifai (1914–1994) in the last years of his life. Al-Hariri travelled to 16 countries, from Spain to China, to document the most significant historic mosques of the world. The collection of large graphite drawings, entitled 'Spiritual Edifices of Islam', depicts the rich diversity of Islamic architecture. They were first exhibited at the Smithsonian Institute, Washington DC, USA in 1999 and have been shown at major museums and venues around the world.

The display of 'Spiritual Edifices of Islam' is supported by the Georgetown Design Group, Washington DC