The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) funded a research project at the British Museum that underpinned their 2012 international exhibition Hajj: journey to the heart of Islam. Hajj: journey to the heart of Islam was the first major exhibition dedicated to the Hajj; the pilgrimage to Mecca which is central to the Muslim faith.

The AHRC funding enabled Dr Venetia Porter, Curator of the exhibition and based in the Department of the Middle East at the British Museum, to undertake multidisciplinary research particularly focusing on the history of the Hajj, the material culture associated with it and its contemporary religious and social aspects. This research project resulted in the information that is visible in the exhibition (textual information and in the multi-media guide) and in a multi-authored publication by leading scholars, and related academic papers.

http://www.britishmuseum.org/hajj