Learn & Explore: Islamic Heritage

Duration

60 minutes

Audience

Educators, Schools

Age

11-14

Grades

6-8

Subjects

Art & Culture, History, Science, Science & Technology

A woman stands behind a podium on a stage. The screen behind her displays an image of a colourful Islamic tile depicting several people at a picnic.

Duration

60 minutes

Audience

Educators, Schools

Age

11-14

Grades

6-8

Subjects

Art & Culture, History, Science, Science & Technology

Celebrate Islamic heritage with guest speaker and lute player Fahimeh Ghorbani, and learn about the current installation, Picnics and Pastimes.

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Friday, April 10, 2026 at 11:00 AM
Grade 6 to 8

What makes for a delightful picnic? Food and drink? Poetry? Music?

The Picnics and Pastimes installation offers a vibrant window into the pleasures, gatherings, and artistic heritage of Iran during the Safavid dynasty (1501–1736). At the installation's centre is a magnificent tile arch from the collections depicting a royal picnic scene, complemented by a display showcasing exceptional Safavid objects that illuminate the aesthetics and culture of leisure in this period.

This Learn & Explore session features Fahimeh Ghorbani, a PhD candidate in the Department of Art History at the University of Toronto. Fahimeh will introduce the historical context of the Safavid era and sing with accompaniment on the setār, a long-necked Iranian instrument similar to the one displayed in the installation.

Delivery Language	This lesson is offered in English only.
Activities	Theatre session Museum exploration with optional Gallery Trail
Galleries/Location	Theatre
Format	Theatre Lesson
Pricing	$16/person
Minimum Group	15
Maximum Group	35

Guest Presenter

A woman with long dark hair, brown eyes, and tan skin is wearing a black long-sleeved shirt. She smiles broadly and has her hands folded in front of her. Behind her are images of plates with intricate designs along the edges.

Fahimeh Ghorbani

PhD Candidate, Department of Art History, University of Toronto

Fahimeh Ghorbani is a PhD candidate in the Department of Art History at the University of Toronto. Her research focuses on Islamic art and architecture, with particular emphasis on the Persianate world. Her doctoral dissertation examines the complex relationship between the tradition of futuwwa—an ethical system rooted in virtues such as bravery, generosity, loyalty, and honesty—and the visual and material culture of Persianate societies from the early Islamic to the early modern periods.

She brings extensive teaching, research, and curatorial experience, developed through a range of academic positions, fellowships, and projects at leading institutions in Iran, Canada, and the United States. Her professional work has included roles at the Malek National Museum and Library, the Centre for Studies in Religion and Society at the University of Victoria, the Institute of Islamic Studies at the University of Toronto, the Elahé Omidyar Mir-Djalali Institute of Iranian Studies, and the Minneapolis Institute of Art.

Fahimeh's Research Page