Longing for Mecca

Exhibition

The 2019 exhibition “Longing for Mecca” used unique artefacts and personal stories from Dutch pilgrims to shed light on the pilgrimage to Mecca.

“Longing for Mecca” provided an insight into the Hajj, the most important Islamic pilgrimage, in which millions of people take part every year, including thousands of Dutch people. It is one of the greatest religious, spiritual and cultural phenomena in the world. What draws the pilgrims? What impressions and experiences do they gain along the way, whilst there and upon their return? These were the questions at the heart of the exhibition.

For centuries, the pilgrimage to Mecca has inspired many artists and rulers to create  or commission magnificent artefacts. The exhibition brought together more than 300 striking pieces from major collections of Islamic art.