Timbuktu Texas

Museum History
(IMMC - Jackson, MS)

IMMC is the first and only Islamic history and culture museum in the USA dedicated to educating the American public about Islamic history and culture, and the contributions of diverse Muslim communities to the world.

Founded in 2001 in Jackson, Mississippi, the Museum has hosted two exhibitions. The first is “Islamic Moorish Spain: It’s Legacy to Europe and the West” and the second, “The Legacy of Timbuktu: Wonders of the Written Word”. Both illustrate to the American public the contributions that Muslims have made to the world community by illustrating periods showcasing leadership in tolerance, peace and prosperity that is grounded on the principle of intellectual thought and its compatibility with faith.

In order to expand the museum’s reach nationally, IMMC decided to establish the Traveling Exhibition Program (TEP) through the development of affiliates in major US destinations. IMMC started the planning of our TEP through a grant IMMC received from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Traveling Exhibit Program

Located in the Dallas/Fort Worth metro area, the first TEP affiliate is IMMC - Texas Affiliate, created in 2011. DFW will be the first metropolitan area to host this traveling exhibition. The Fort Worth Museum of Science and History will host the exhibit in its rotating exhibition space. During the Grand Opening week, guests will include local and international dignitaries, scholars, artists and musicians.

IMMC has identified and visited several venues, and it has received commitments or interest to pursue the hosting and scheduling of the exhibit from the following institutions: the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, Fort Worth, Texas; the Field Museum, Chicago, Illinois; the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh, North Carolina; the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Cincinnati, Ohio; the Houston Museum of Natural Science, Houston, Texas; the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the National Museum of African Art in the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC.; the Museum of Science and Industry, Tampa, Florida; the Fernbank Museum of Natural History, Atlanta, Georgia; the American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York; and the California Science Center in Los Angeles, California.

Each institution will host the exhibit for a period of 4-5 months. The goal of the TEP program will be to showcase IMMC exhibits to over two million Americans over the 4 year period.