Longing for Mecca offered a unique insight into the Hajj, Islam’s most important pilgrimage. Millions of people travel to Mecca each year, including thousands of Dutch. It is one of the world’s biggest religious, spiritual and cultural phenomena. What attracts these pilgrims? What impressions and experiences move them on the road, when they reach their destination and when they come back?

For centuries, the pilgrimage to Mecca inspires many artists and rulers to create spectacular works of art. In the exhibition we have brought together more than 300 appealing pieces from important collections of Islamic art. The curated pieces span a wide range: from the 10th century to the present day, and from China and Indonesia to Turkey and Morocco.