This year’s spring show at the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris is dedicated to the Muslim hajj, or major pilgrimage, that takes place every year in the Muslim month of Dhu al-Hijjah and is one of the “pillars,” or obligatory duties, of Islam. Spread across two floors of the Institut’s temporary exhibition spaces, the exhibition is an ideal opportunity for Paris residents and visitors to the French capital to learn more about the history of the hajj and its contemporary character. The exhibition, entitled Hajj, le pèlerinage à la Mecque, contains several hundred pieces illustrating the history of the hajj, among them objects used by pilgrims through the ages, historical accounts, and pieces taken from collections in Mecca itself.

Read More: Paris and the Hajj