1,001 inventions show draws record crowds in Istanbul

A show spotlighting scientific innovations from Muslim civilizations, currently on view at Istanbul's Sultanahmet Square, has drawn a record number of visitors since opening last month, marking a new breakthrough for a public exhibit in Istanbul, news agencies reported Tuesday. Titled "1,001 Inventions: Discover the Muslim Heritage in Our World," the interactive exhibit attracted 100,000 visitors within its first 12 days of opening on Aug. 18 in a tent in front of the historic Hagia Sophia Museum, where it will remain on view until Oct. 5, the Anatolia news agency said. Commissioned by the UK-based Foundation for Science, Technology and Civilization, the traveling show is aimed at highlighting the Golden Age of Muslim civilization, an era that lasted from the eighth to the 13th centuries, during which advances in engineering, medicine and architecture laid the groundwork for Western progress from the Renaissance until modern times. "1001 Inventions" opened earlier this year in the UK, where it had a successful run at the Science Museum in London, drawing 400,000 visitors. When it completes its seven-week stay in Istanbul, the show will move to the New York Hall of Science. The exhibit's Istanbul stint, which is admission-free, last month was estimated by the Associated Press to draw around 6,000 visitors daily.