Museum of Islamic Art

In this museum, you may see a reflection of Cairo’s former prosperity, as it displays a diverse collection of items from all over the Muslim world that ended up in Cairo as a result of Cairo’s impact on different periods of Islamic history throughout history. The fact that it has just recently reopened following a ten-year makeover means that it has never been a popular stop on the conventional Cairo tourist route.

At the museum, you can see countless artifacts displaying the full range of Islamic arts, from architectural forms and ornamentation from Cairo’s s landmarks buildings such as the Pyramids to decorated manuscripts from Persia, as well as exquisitely crafted home furnishings and carpets from Turkey and the Maghrib.

It is worthwhile to pay a visit to appreciate the beauty of the artistic styles and forms that Islamic culture produced while attempting to work around the Koranic prohibition against depictions of Allah or the Prophet Muhammed—developing instead ornate skills in creating floral and geometric forms instead. The museum is situated on Port Said Street, which serves as a boundary between downtown Cairo and the Islamic Cairo district.