Rising majestically in the heart of Tashkent, Uzbekistan, the newly inaugurated Islamic Civilization Center promises to become a shining beacon of cultural heritage, intellectual exploration, and innovation. With its monumental turquoise mosaic dome dominating the city’s skyline, the center harks back to Tashkent’s historic role as a Silk Road hub and renowned center of learning. This grand museum complex, opening in March 2024, is more than a repository of artifacts; it is a dynamic space that bridges the past and present, inviting visitors into a rich dialogue with history, art, and technology.
At the core of this visionary project lies the Qur’an Hall, home to the famed 7th-century Qur’an of Uthman, one of the oldest surviving copies of the sacred text and a treasured entry on UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register. The center’s extensive collection boasts over 2,000 manuscripts and historical artifacts, many of which have been painstakingly repatriated in recent years. “The Centre is already taking its place as a magnet for tourists and scholars alike,” observes S Frederick Starr, author of the acclaimed book Lost Enlightenment: Central Asia’s Golden Age. Starr highlights the center’s role in unveiling “the flowering in intellectual and artistic activity [that arose in this region] a millennium ago,” underscoring its mission to illuminate a pivotal chapter of human civilization.
Designed not only as a museum but as an immersive educational hub, the Islamic Civilization Center incorporates cutting-edge technology to enrich the visitor experience. An innovative education area features VR- and AI-enhanced exhibits that trace Uzbekistan’s journey from the pre-Islamic era to the contemporary digital age. Among the standout attractions are the “living portraits,” which allow guests to engage in conversations with historical scholars and experts, leveraging artificial intelligence to animate the past in compelling new ways. Supporting this interactive narrative is a state-of-the-art restoration laboratory, crafts workshops, and a 200,000-volume library, positioning the center as a multifaceted hub of cultural preservation and scholarly pursuit.
Architecturally, the center is a masterpiece that embodies a synthesis of traditional Islamic motifs and modern design sensibilities. The turquoise mosaic dome is more than an aesthetic marvel—it symbolizes the enduring cultural legacy and intellectual vitality of the Silk Road. This striking blend of form and function reflects a global trend in immersive cultural venues, which increasingly prioritize visitor engagement through multisensory and interactive experiences. Comparable to other grand cultural centers worldwide, the Islamic Civilization Center sets itself apart by marrying historic reverence with avant-garde technologies such as AI-driven narrative tools and virtual immersion, adhering to a philosophy of accessible learning and community enrichment.
The opening of the Islamic Civilization Center marks a significant milestone for the city of Tashkent and the wider Central Asian region, a zone historically underrepresented in the global narrative of scientific and artistic achievement. By embracing new media technologies—virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and interactive exhibitions—the center not only preserves heritage but also acts as a catalyst for innovation in museum display and educational programming. It fosters a vibrant ecosystem where creators, educators, and scholars can collaborate and experiment with new forms of storytelling, blending art, science, and technology.
In tandem with the Islamic Civilization Center’s launch, Tashkent also welcomes the Centre for Contemporary Arts, one of Central Asia’s first large-scale museums dedicated to modern art. Housed within a repurposed 1912 industrial building, this venue complements the historic focus of the new museum complex by emphasizing contemporary creativity and dialogue. Together, these institutions signal a robust cultural renaissance, where heritage and modernity converge, positioning Tashkent as a nexus of immersive experiences in both historical scholarship and contemporary artistic expression.
For planetarium directors, immersive media creators, and cultural educators worldwide, the Islamic Civilization Center stands as an inspiring model of how traditional museums can evolve into engaging, tech-forward centers of learning and wonder. It exemplifies the growing potential of immersive environments to connect global audiences with rich, multilayered histories through innovative storytelling techniques. This initiative eloquently demonstrates the power of immersive cultural institutions not only to preserve the past but also to cultivate new generations of curious minds, inquisitive scholars, and creative visionaries.
Originally reported by Bea Mitchell via www.bbc.co.uk on 2026-02-23 04:53:00.
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