AGA Kham Museum

My parents picked me up a pass to go to the AGA Khan Museum from the library. I finally had a chance to go a week before my trip to Alberta. I went with my friend, Peter. He had already gone there with our other friend, Gabe, for Doors Open Toronto. Though they didn't actually get to see the exhibits that time.

The museum opens daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Regular adult admission is $20. Though, currently, you can visit for free on Wednesday from 4-8 p.m. (they have extended hours on Wednesdays).

I got there a bit before Peter who had gone to get his haircut. He wouldn't be ready until near 4:00. Since it was my first time to the new facilities I went early to take some photos around the grounds and in the courtyard in the museum.

According to the founder - The aim of the Aga Khan Museum will be to offer unique insights and new perspectives into Islamic civilizations and the cultural threads that weave through history binding us all together. My hope is that the Museum will also be a centre of education and of learning, and that it will act as a catalyst for mutual understanding and tolerance. - His Highness the Aga Khan

Designed by Fumihiko Maki, the building - 81 metres long and 54 metres wide - contains an impressive variety of spaces, including two exhibition galleries, areas for art conservation and storage, a 350-seat theatre, and two classrooms.

The first floor contains the museum's permanent collection. You can take non-flash photography here. The second floor has a gallery space with a temporary collection. You can't take photos here.

Currently the second floor is featuring - A Thirst for Riches: Carpets from the East in Paintings from the West. It points to the active history of trade between Europe and Muslim civilizations while exploring how beautiful objects acquire new meanings as they are exchanged.

Drawing from the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York — supplemented by loans from other institutions — the exhibition pairs mid-17th-century Dutch paintings featuring Eastern carpets with actual carpets produced in the East during the same period.