Arab-Muslim discoveries and inventions on display

Arab-Muslim discoveries and inventions on display

By K.S. RAMKUMAR | ARAB NEWS

Published: May 19, 2010 00:04 Updated: May 19, 2010 00:04

JEDDAH: A global traveling exhibition showcasing Arab and Muslim discoveries and inventions enriched by Saudi Arabia is to open in Canada on Wednesday.

The exhibition — titled Sultans of Science — has been created by Dubai and Cape Town based MTE Studios and is to be showcased at the TELUS World of Science in Edmonton, Canada.

Researched and manufactured by MTE Studios, the exhibition celebrates the contribution of Arab and Muslim scholars to science and technology during the first Golden Age of the Islamic World and the influence of their discoveries and inventions on contemporary society. The exhibition covers Arab and Muslim scientific endeavors in architecture, the arts, astronomy, engineering, exploration, flying, mathematics, medicine and optics.

Visitors will be able to see numerous inventions brought to life through more than 40 interactive exhibits and giant functional replicas that use cutting-edge technology to recreate the ingenuity of a golden age.

MTE Studios has also played a major role in the design, manufacture and installation of numerous interactive exhibits at the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul, Turkey. Recently, the multidisciplinary team delivered a turnkey museum on Islamic science for the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology.

"It's a unique exhibition, which not only provides visitors with an insight and rediscovery of missing history, but also sends a powerful and positive message to the world about the way we evaluate history, bridge cultural gaps and realize the need to embrace multicultural knowledge," said MTE Studios CEO Ludo Verheyen.

"We are delighted to host Sultans of Science in Alberta," said George Smith, president and CEO of TELUS World of Science, Edmonton.

"Our many members and visitors always respond well to high-quality exhibitions that engage them on many levels, and this one certainly fits that bill. It shines a light on both a region and a time of rich scientific development that many of us are unaware of, and helps us realize how interconnected our histories and our cultures really are."

In addition to the design of galleries and the development, design, prototyping and manufacture of exhibitions, MTE Studios also offers operational planning and training for science centers and museums. Sultans of Science has traveled to global venues including the MTN Sciencecentre in Cape Town, South Africa; the Liberty Science Center, New Jersey, USA and the Ontario Science Center.

"The exhibition has had an overwhelming response from visitors at the previous venues in the United States. We have had tremendous interest from museums and science centers across the globe including Europe and Asia and we envision the exhibition traveling all around the world," added Verheyen.