The museum and its collections
The museum's purpose
The purpose of the Museum’s Foundation is to collect, manage and preserve the spiritual and material legacy of Hazrat Inayat Khan and his brothers and cousin, sometimes referred to collectively as the ‘companions’.
These ‘companions’ were:
- Shaikh-ul-Mashaik Maheboob Khan, head of the Sufi Movement from 1928 to 1948
- Pir-o-Murshid Ali Khan, head of the Sufi Movement from 1948 to 1958
- Pir-o-Murshid Musharaff Khan, head of the Sufi Movement from 1959 to 1967
The latter has a special place in this foundation. He was married to the Dutch lady Murshida Shahzadi Khan – de Koningh, the founder of the museum, from 1948 until his passing in 1967. Murshida Shahzadi kept on collecting, listing and describing all objects from the legacy of the four brothers during the seventies and eighties. She also founded the museum in memory of her husband.
Click here to see their PORTRAITS.
Vision
- The museum is an independent foundation that loyally and passionately wants to create a clear image of the history of the Sufi Movement during the years 1910 – 1967 both in content and spirit.
- The foundation fully understands and embraces its mission and responsibility.
- The museum wants to be in open contact with all Sufi organizations that are based on the teachings of Hazrat Inayat Khan (1882 – 1927) and thereby contribute to the forming of one brother- and sisterhood within the Universal Sufi Family.
- The museum wants to be in open contact with other independent Sufi foundations, nationally and internationally.
- The museum wants to have and radiate an open, accessible and inclusive character.
- The museum wants to actively contribute to the knowledge and understanding of Hazrat Inayat Khan’s expression of Sufism through exhibitions, education and research.
- The museum has two main activities:
- Exhibiting historical material in the two main areas of the museum
- Maintaining, supplementing and making available a documentation center consisting of documents, photos, books and other resources for the various Sufi organizations and scientists.
Content of the museum
The museum has a permanent collection with a lot of historical material from the early days of the spreading of the Sufi Message. The museum keeps material for future exhibitions in its depot. Books, photos and interesting manuscripts can be viewed at our reading table. Finally, there is room for individuals or small groups for silence and reflection.
A snapshot of the museum’s collection:
- Objects owned by Hazrat Inayat Khan and his brothers
- Musical instruments
- Clothing (robes), footwear and turbans
- Statues
- Paintings
- Photos and negatives,
- Books
- Folders and brochures
- Texts and poems
- Sound clips
- Movies