Client:          Royal Society
Location:     London, United Kingdom
Timescale:   2010 - 2011

Founded in 1660, the Royal Society is the UK’s National Academy of Science.  In early 2010, Cultural Innovations was honoured to be made the Society’s exhibition design partners and project managers for the delivery of “Arabick Roots”, a new temporary exhibition held at the Society’s headquarters in London.

The exhibition was launched on 9th June 2011 at an evening reception attended by Qatar Foundation Chairperson, Sheikha Moza bint Nasser and ran for six months until November 2011.

The exhibition uncovered the links between the early Royal Society and contemporary and classical Arabic learning and highlighted the ways in which early Fellows of the Royal Society, such as Edmond  Halley and Robert Boyle, used the work of Arabic and Islamic scholars as a basis for their research.  The display contained rare books, scientific instruments and correspondence – many from the Royal Society’s own archives, being displayed for the first time and helping reinforce the shared scientific heritage of both the Western and Arabic worlds.

Dr Rim Turkmani was the exhibition curator and the project’s lead sponsor was the Qatar Foundation, supported by both the Foundation for Science, Technology and Civilisation (FSTC) and Cultural Innovations.