The Illustrated Guide to the Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo

A full-color guide to one of Egypt's leading museums.

The Museum of Islamic Art, established in Cairo in 1881, houses one of the world's richest collections of artifacts from all periods of Islamic history and all parts of the Islamic world.

Structured as a guide, but fully illustrated with superb color photographs, this book suggests a simple but comprehensive itinerary through one of Egypt's most fascinating museums. Taking readers through the various exhibits, this useful guidebook explains and illuminates the aesthetic and historic importance of the museum's main works on display, including metalwork, textiles, woodwork, glass, carved stone and ivory, and the art of the book. Also included are sections on two other small but important Cairo museums: the Islamic Ceramics Museum and the Islamic Textiles Museum.

Written by one of the leading authorities on Islamic art and architecture, and lavishly illustrated throughout with specially commissioned color photographs, this is the definitive guide to Egypt's great collections of Islamic art.

Bernard O'Kane is professor of Islamic art and architecture at the American University in Cairo. He is the editor of Treasures of Islamic Art (AUC Press, 2006) and Creswell Photographs Re-examined (AUC Press, 2009).