Asian Civilisations Museum presents Treasury of the World

More than 150 years after its end, the legendary Mughal Empire, one of the wealthiest and most powerful dynasties the world has ever known, still captivates our imaginations today with tales of splendour and luxury. Treasury of the World is a stunning collection of more than 400 exquisite, jewelled works of art – from household items to ornate necklaces and ceremonial swords - from the glorious era of Mughal-ruled India.

For over 300 years (1526-1858), the Mughals dominated the Indian subcontinent and were renowned for their lavish lifestyle, love of beauty and vast collection of precious objects. Indeed, so astounded was the 17th-century British ambassador Thomas Roe at Emperor Jahangir dressed in all his finery, that he once described the latter as “the treasury of the world”.

During the Gulf War in 1990, many pieces from The al-Sabah Collection – including the artefacts in Treasury of the World – were stolen from the Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah (DAI) in Kuwait and taken to the Baghdad Museum. Most were recovered at the end of the war, but close to 60 pieces remain missing, including a splendid Mughal emerald centrepiece weighing 233.5 carats and carved with palm trees.

A 16th-century Mughal dagger, set with rubies, emeralds and turquoise (Middle), was spotted in 1996 in a Sotheby’s auction catalog; the vendor returned it after discovering it was stolen. This dagger and scabbard, thought to have been commissioned and designed by Emperor Jahangir around 1619, is a masterpiece of 1,685 rubies, 271 unpolished diamonds, 62 emeralds, 321 pieces of transparent emerald-green glass, 39 pieces of blue glass, 9 pieces of ivory and 6 layered agates – making a total of 2,393 stones, plus another 26 which are now missing. It is elegantly set with rubies to form patterns of birds and flowers.

Now, not only do you have the chance to be dazzled by the magnificence on display, you can also learn about life in the Mughal court, from leisure pursuits to food and weaponry of the royal family. The exhibition also offers a fascinating insight to the diverse techniques in the jewelled arts used by the artisans and craftsmen during this period.

Featuring gem stones and other precious objects from The al-Sabah Collection in Kuwait, this blockbuster exhibition has been shown in prestigious venues such as the British Museum in London, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Louvre Museum in Paris. It makes its Asian debut at the ACM in Singapore.

This exhibition is organised by The al-Sabah Collection, National Council for Culture, Arts & Letters, Kuwait, in collaboration with the Asian Civilisations Museum.

For more information, go to www.acm.org.sg

Admission charges:

$8 (adults) / $4 (concession); Family package at $20 for up to 5 pax. Free admission for children aged 6 and below and seniors aged 60 and above every day (locals and PRs only).

50% off for foreigners aged 60 and above. 50% discount every Friday, 7-9pm

Opening hours:

Mon, 1pm-7pm; Tues to Sun: 9am – 7pm (to 9pm on Fri)

How to get there:

By MRT – Raffles Place; By Bus – 100, 107, 130, 131, 167, 608

Top: Bracelet set with rubies, diamonds and chrysoberyl cat’s eye. India, Mughal

Middle: Dagger and scabbard. India, Mughal. Circa 1615-1620

Bottom: Small bottle set with rubies, emeralds and diamond crystals. Northern India, Circa 1600 – 1633