Ashmolean Museum - "Unmissable" Imagining the Divine exhibition Now Open

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EXHIBITION NOW OPEN Imagining the Divine Art and the Rise of World Religions "Unmissable… a fascinating journey through the art of religions from India to Ireland" – Mary Beard Why do we think of Jesus Christ with a beard? Or Buddha as cross-legged? Today, the pictures people conjure when they think of the world’s major religions – Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism– are distinctive and immediately recognisable. But two thousand years ago that was not the case. This unprecedented exhibition showcases some of the world’s oldest religious art from India to Ireland, and reveals how the exchange of ideas and objects in the first millennium influence our thinking about the Divine today. On display are the first known depiction of Christ north of the Alps, as well as some of the first surviving Qurans. BOOK NOW Get in Free – Become a Member Ashmolean Members get in FREE to all exhibitions – including Imagining the Divine – and enjoy behind-the-scenes activities as well as a 10% discount in the shop, café & restaurant. Click here to find out more Curator Talk Book Your Place Discover how iconic images of the world religions came into being at this special talk, 1pm Friday 27 October, with Empires of Faith project curator Stefanie Lenk. Book your place online today.  Book your place Exhibition Tours 3.30pm every Wednesday Join one of our free guided exhibition tours to discover more about the themes explored in our Imagining the Divine exhibition. Tours are free with the price of admission and no additional booking is required. Meet in Gallery 58. Find an event Workshops and Talks Book your place Learn more about how the visual identities of world religions changed in the first millenium, at one of our special talks, tours, short courses or workshops. Book your place online today.  Find an event Exhibition Shop Online & at the Museum Discover our new range of gifts, books, bags, jewellery, prints, art supplies, fashion, games and much more, all inspired by the artworks on display in our new Imagining the Divine exhibition. Shop online Talking Religion Gallery Talks Hear from the doctoral students from the Talking Religion research group, and get a taste of the cutting edge research behind the exhibition. The talks are free with the price of exhibition admission. Find out more Rooftop Restaurant New Menus Enjoy our brand new autumn menus at the Ashmolean Rooftop Restaurant this month. Become a member to enjoy a 10% discount in the shop, café & restaurant. View the menu and book your table online today. Book your table Exhibition Catalogue Buy Online Explore how belief systems developed and spread between AD 1–1000, and how encounters with other religions and cultures affected their visual identities, in theImagining the Divine exhibition catalogue. Buy online Just released The Jewish Journey 4000 years in 22 objects from the Ashmolean By Rebecca Abrams Remarkable Jewish objects in the Ashmolean are brought together for the first time in this new book, telling the history of the Jewish people from Ancient Mesopotamia to the present day. Spanning 4000 years and 14 countries, the objects document the astonishing diversity and adaptability of Jewish life over the centuries, and the long history of close interaction with other cultures and religions of the world. Buy your copy online Find out more Related Talks and Tours With Rebecca Abrams Discover what Jewish life was like in ancient times, or take a 4000-year journey through the galleries of the Ashmolean. Join author Rebecca Abrams at one of our upcoming events relating to her new book, The Jewish Journey. Find an event