EXHIBITIONS

Goddard and Gibbs: To The East

An Exhibition of Stained Glass Designs for the Middle East

29 January - 31 May 2026

From glowing mosque windows to the splendour of royal palaces, coloured glass has played a dazzling role in the Islamic world for over a thousand years. Some of the earliest surviving examples date back to the 8th–10th centuries, during the Umayyad Caliphate, when light, colour and geometry were combined to striking effect. These works built on ancient Middle Eastern glassmaking traditions and were shaped by the skills of Byzantine and Sasanian artisans.

Centuries later, this rich visual language continued to inspire artists and designers. In the 1980s and beyond, the London based Goddard & Gibbs Studio expanded its international reach, creating stained glass for mosques, palaces and private homes across the Middle East.

This exhibition brings together a selection of their stained glass designs, beautiful preparatory drawings that reveal the creative process behind these ambitious commissions. Alongside them, discover the story of stained glass across the Islamic world and explore highlights from the museum’s significant, but rarely seen collection of preparatory works.

Previous Exhibitions