The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre's new ground-breaking museum Light & Peace opens to the public today. This immersive experience takes visitors on a transformative journey through faith, coexistence and inspiration. It explores the rich history of Islamic cultural heritage, celebrating the values of openness and tolerance that lie at the heart of the mosque, the UAE, and the vision of its late ruler, His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Light and Peace offers a unique opportunity to explore the three most significant of Islam: the grand mosques of Al-Haram in Makkah, An-Nabawi in Madinah, and Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem. The exhibition also highlights the creation and enduring legacy of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque – a modern architectural marvel and symbol of unity. Alongside the mosque’s own world-class collection, Light & Peace brings together incredible Islamic artefacts from all over the world and features new commissions from leading contemporary artists including Abdul Qader Al Rais, Othman Khunji and Idris Khan. These remarkable artefact displays are combined with immersive environments and cutting-edge technology to create a meaningful and inspiring narrative experience in seven languages. With this impressive new museum, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre reaffirms its dedication to promoting the values of tolerance and openness. https://lnkd.in/d3RxJang video by Gulf News
Barker Langham
Museums, Historical Sites, and Zoos
London, England 27,238 followers
Creating exciting and transformational cultural projects across the globe
About us
Barker Langham is a leading cultural consultancy, specialising in the visioning, strategic planning and development of cultural heritage projects in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Americas. We are Museum Association mentors as well as advisors to UNESCO and the Heritage Lottery Fund. We have also been working in the Middle East since 2005, developing a deep understanding of local history and culture in the region through our collaborations with local communities and stakeholders. Wherever we are working, we aim to excite, inspire and engage visitors and our clients, who range from governments and academic institutions to commercial and charitable organisations. We think holistically about our projects, which is reflected in our core services: Strategy | Interpretation | Business Planning | Audiences | Research | Recruitment Our expertise extends across the cultural sector: museums, galleries and exhibitions | visitor centres | parks and landscapes | natural heritage | collections and archives | cultural quarters.
- Website
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http://www.barkerlangham.co.uk
External link for Barker Langham
- Industry
- Museums, Historical Sites, and Zoos
- Company size
- 11-50 employees
- Headquarters
- London, England
- Type
- Public Company
- Founded
- 2005
- Specialties
- Museum Planning, Curatorial Consultants, Audience Development, Interpretive Planning, Research, Business Planning, Curation, Strategy, Interpretation, Recruitment, Exhibition Planning, Marketing , Scriptwriting , Translation, Heritage management, Project management, Masterplanning, Visioning, Benchmarking, Operational planning, and Training
Locations
Employees at Barker Langham
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Julian Noursi
Project Management | Marketing & Communication | Events & Entertainment | Education | Executive MBA | The Fridge Entertainment | Barker Langham |…
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David Woodhouse MBA, AFA, MIPA
Finance Director
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Claire Henry
Principal: Barker Langham
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Eric Langham
Founder at Barker Langham
Updates
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Belfast City Council has released concept designs for Belfast Stories, a transformational £100 million project in the former Bank of Ireland building and a surrounding 5,000-square-metre site on the city’s Royal Avenue. Belfast Stories, expected to open by 2030, will be a public space, visitor attraction, and creative hub sharing stories from people who have lived in and visited Belfast – past and present. Micky Murray, Lord Mayor of Belfast, said the project: “has the potential to revitalise the area and genuinely enhance a sense of connection and belonging for the people of Belfast, who are central to its delivery. Belfast people will be sharing stories with each other and with visitors from around the world.” Currently progressing through RIBA Stage 2 – Concept Design, engagement is a significant part of this stage. Following an initial public consultation in 2022, Belfast City Council’s Belfast Stories team is now hosting a second public consultation – which will run for 14 weeks until 23 February 2025 – to ensure everyone can have their say on the transformational project. Barker Langham are leading on the curation and interpretation planning with Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA) designing the visitor experience, and the architecture team comprising Oslo-based studio Snøhetta and Belfast-based TODD Architects Ltd. Find out more at https://lnkd.in/gCPYU577
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Barker Langham reposted this
Great to be back at Ithra for the 'In Praise of the Artisan' conference that kicks off tomorrow. As we approach the end of 2024, we gear up for the Saudi Ministry of Culture's Year of Crafts in 2025. 🤩 If you are in Dhahran, let's connect. ☺️
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Can Stories Change the World? In the winter edition of The Journal of the Association for Heritage Interpretation, our founder, Eric Langham, explores a powerful question: Can stories change the world? As a trustee of the Association for Heritage Interpretation, Eric challenges the status quo of narrative interpretation, urging professionals to move beyond formulaic exhibits that simply present key messages and themes. In his compelling new article, Eric argues that the true power of storytelling lies in its ability to connect with our innate human need to make sense of the world through stories. Rather than merely delivering pre-packaged messages, he advocates for synthesising complex elements into a cohesive narrative that embraces the richness of the story, transforming it almost like a form of alchemy. Take, for example, the storyboard poster created for the American Alliance of Museums in 2023. It tackles a highly divisive subject—how we engage with public memorials—but does so in an unexpected way. By focusing on the emotional cycle triggered by memorials—ranging from passion and devotion to outrage, opposition, and even disgust—it tells a story, sparking emotion and reflection rather than just communicating a message. Eric challenges us to think even bigger: Can storytelling evolve into something more powerful? Can stories inspire real action and meaningful change? Could we move beyond storytelling to story-making, where the narratives we create shape the future? Read Eric's full article and join the conversation about how stories can not only reflect the world but actively change it.
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We are thrilled to see the concept designs for Belfast Stories unveiled! This transformational £100 million project in the heart of Belfast city centre is all about sharing stories from people who have lived in and visited Belfast – past and present. It’s been an absolute pleasure collaborating with Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA), Snøhetta, TODD Architects Ltd. and Gleeds on this initiative.
🌏 Concept designs for Belfast Stories, a transformational £100 million project in Belfast city center, have been released for the first time. Belfast Stories, which will be a public space, visitor attraction and creative hub, is expected to open by 2030 at the Art Deco former Bank of Ireland building and a surrounding 5,000-square meter site in the city’s Royal Avenue. Belfast Stories is all about sharing stories from people who have lived in and visited Belfast – past and present. People will take their own journey through stories that are told in many different ways – interactive, audio-visual, musical, printed and in ways that are yet to be imagined. The creative hub will feature a story gathering initiative designed to deliver an ever-developing program of activities both inside and outside the building – where stories gathered and made are shaped, stored and shared. John Blanchard, Principal & Director of Ralph Appelbaum Associates, London said: “Belfast Stories has the potential to revitalize the city center and enhance the local economy through tourism led regeneration and support for the creative economy. It will also be a public space for the people of Belfast, who are central to its delivery. Our role as interpretive designers is to listen to and share the stories of the people of Belfast in a way that tells the unique story of this place. The lifeblood of this project are the stories of the people of this city – and by interpreting these, we will be sharing the story of Belfast both locally and with visitors from around the world. It’s a fantastic, complex and invigorating project that is unique in so many ways – much like the city of Belfast.” The design team supporting Belfast Stories includes a partnership between Oslo-based architects Snøhetta, the firm responsible for designing the Oslo Opera House and the 9/11 Memorial Pavilion in New York, and Belfast-based TODD Architects Ltd., who are leading on the architectural and structural design. Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA) are engaged to design the visitor experience with Barker Langham in the role of Curator and Interpretation Planner. Property and construction consultancy, Gleeds, are overseeing project management. Explore highlights from recent media coverage: ⭐ Architects’ Journal: https://lnkd.in/es4SBWxv ⭐ BBC: https://lnkd.in/evttDGDV ⭐ The Irish News: https://lnkd.in/e5RNZhuf ⭐ Archinect: https://lnkd.in/eJfPeuRS ⭐ Blooloop: https://lnkd.in/etyG_Tvf Pictured: Architectural illustration of what Belfast Stories might look like from North Street aerial view #exhibitiondesign #ralphappelbaumassociates
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Reflecting on the Florence Nightingale exhibition at Cromford Mills in Derbyshire, now concluded, we are proud to have had the opportunity to curate and design this transformative experience. Inspired by this iconic figure, we aimed to challenge perceptions, inspire new thinking, and disrupt traditional narratives. Towards the end of the exhibition, visitors encountered an AI-powered ‘Living Portrait’ of Florence Nightingale, generated in real time and evolving as they shared their thoughts. This interactive feature resonated strongly with audiences, prompting feedback such as: “It made us ask questions we wouldn’t usually ask ourselves”, “I loved how it connected her legacy to modern times”, “It was refreshing to see a different side of a figure often seen through a traditional lens”. To bring the project to life, Barker Langham worked in close collaboration with Florence Nightingale Museum team, fabricators Reeves & Bond (simon bond) and digital producers Uncharted Limbo. For those who missed it, here’s a sneak peek in the video below! We hope it leaves you inspired, just as we were.
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One year from now Dubai will host the 2025 International Council of Museums (ICOM) Conference, marking the first time this global forum will be held in the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia region. This landmark event will further shape the future of museums as stewards and catalysts of heritage and culture, offering a platform for dialogue, collaboration, and action, while advancing the legacy of our collective memory. Today’s ICOM International Symposium, held at the Etihad Museum in Dubai and streamed online, has launched this journey toward 2025, focusing on three critical themes: Intangible Heritage, Youth Empowerment, and New Technologies. Through sessions led by thought leaders, we explored how museums can adapt to rapid change while safeguarding authentic cultural connections. We’re excited to see ICOM take place next year in Dubai, where Barker Langham has been based since 2016, actively supporting the cultural, heritage, and arts sectors. Eric Langham and Darren Barker recently co-authored 'The Alchemy of Museum Planning' the lead chapter of 'International Perspectives on Museum Management', a new publication by ICOM, presenting three guiding principles for the evolution of museums: - The Museum Is a Relational Entity - Museums Create the Future - Plan for Evolution, not Survival We look forward to continuing to explore and discuss these themes in our practice.
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Life in Britain between 4,500 and 2,000 years ago remains somewhat mysterious, as writing had not yet been introduced, leaving us with no record of daily life. Opening tomorrow at the Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery “Sun and Fire: Life and Death at the Dawn of History” explores how life might have been during these times through the objects and structures we've found in Shropshire’s landscape. We know heat was essential. People used fire to make beautiful, practical items, to cook, and to cremate their dead. They celebrated the sun with monumental stone circles and radiant gold objects. While we can’t be certain why they did some of these things, it’s clear they held ideas, beliefs, and traditions—though we can only guess what those were. But we do know that in many ways, these people were just like us. They felt the heat of flames on their skin, the sun’s warmth on their faces, and filled their lives with sensations, sights, sounds, and scents. Step into the ancient Shropshire landscape and experience it for yourself. This is a multisensory and interactive exhibition, full of things to see, touch, smell, hear, and do. Barker Langham is proud to have led the curation and design for this unique exhibition, bringing history to life for all audiences. Visit and immerse yourself—open until 30 April. https://lnkd.in/dvTBFF-N
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Barker Langham reposted this
New (or old?) home 🇬🇧 ➡️ 🇸🇦 Excited to announce that I’ve moved home, or rather come back home. 24 years after returning to the UK from Saudi Arabia, I’m delighted to be back, living in the Kingdom once more. Following nearly 8 years with Barker Langham’s London office, I look forward to continuing this journey with Barker Langham in Riyadh and our recently operational regional HQ. It’s great to be back. If you’re in Saudi, feel free to reach out!
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Barker Langham reposted this
"Date Palms" stands as one of the Arabian Peninsula's treasures! It was exciting to discover archival materials such as books and Photographs from famous explores who went to the Arabian Peninsula and were captivated by the beauty of these precious trees. In our Docu- series “Erth” we intreviewed Mr. Rizwan Ahmad, Head of Research at Barker Langham to delve into the Royal Geographical Society’s collections. Here’s a sneak peek from our documentary series, "Erth" To watch the full episode: Youtube Link: https://lnkd.in/d_T9RDQe Saudi Broadcasting Authority - هيئة الإذاعة و التلفزيون Saudi Broadcasting Authority. Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) #Work #media #production #tv #KSA #history #UK #London #Heritage