Exhibition on pioneer scientist Ibn Al Haytham to begin next month

AMMAN — The Jordan Museum is scheduled to host a month-long exhibition showcasing the achievements of Arab scientist Ibn Al Haytham next month.

The exhibition will be a chance to learn about the history of Islamic intellectuals in various scientific fields, as well as the substantial contribution by Muslims to developing human civilisation, according to an official statement sent to The Jordan Times.

In a bid to enrich school students’ knowledge of the Islamic "golden age", the museum, located in Amman's Ras Al Ain area, will allow free-of-charge visits to the exhibition, which will take place between March 8 and April 8.

The exhibition, which has toured several cities and capitals worldwide, will be held on the sidelines of the World Science Forum 2017, organised by the Royal Scientific Society and the 1001 Inventions Organisation, the statement added.

Celebrating the renowned Arab scientist is also part of Amman’s selection as the capital of Islamic culture for 2017.

Ibn Al Haytham, who lived between the years 965 and 1040, excelled in numerous fields, including astronomy, optics and mathematics. 

He is considered an early pioneer of theoretical physics and the first person to explain how vision works through an object’s reflection of light to the eye.

Established in 2013, the Jordan Museum aims to document, conserve and present Jordan’s archaeological and cultural heritage, Ihab Amarin, the museum’s director general, told The Jordan Times in a recent interview. 

He added that the 10,000-square-metre building consists of showrooms that exhibit nearly 1,000 pieces, while around 2,500 others are kept in storage.