Exhibitions and Case Displays

In this photography exhibition, Shah explores very personal themes linked to his family's roots and heritage as Ugandan Asians, and offers wider narratives around exile, displacement and dispossession. In 1972 Idi Amin expelled 80,000 Asians from Uganda. Shah was three years old when his family were made refugees and forced to endure an unexpected journey, leaving their lives and possessions behind and move to the UK.

Shah investigates the past and extracts fragments, narratives and meanings to re-imagine his own family's tale. The exhibition also alludes to the fading of memories, the blind-spots in representing history and to the legacies of colonialism. Further information.

Pigeon whistles are small, lightweight whistles carried on the tail feathers of pigeons to create a beautiful haunting sound. Traditionally used for deterring predators or creating a tactical diversion within warfare, they are also used for the enjoyment of their sound. This display has been co-curated by Nathaniel Mann, experimental composer, performer, sound designer, and a former artist-in-residence in the Museum. During his residency he was intrigued by the pigeon whistle display and inspired to design and fly his own versions of the whistle, resulting in a lasting passion for these flute-like instruments. This display includes his 3D printed whistles in brightly coloured plastic alongside historic Chinese and South-East Asian examples. Further information.

A photographic exhibition by John Wreford. Visit the Upper Gallery to encounter large scale portraits of people displaced from Syria, now surviving and thriving in Istanbul, Turkey. Each person photographed has written powerful testimonies about their experiences. Exhibition in English and Arabic.