What did you do last weekend? Weekend is usually very mundane to me, but last weekend was spectacular. I’ve joined a familiarization trip to Petrosains, KLCC along with some other bloggers like Smallkucing, Ku Jie and many more to travel back in time to the Golden Age of the Islamic World (700-1700 CE), a time where ingenious Muslim scholars made scientific and technological breakthroughs that have influenced modern society.

Bloggers were allowed to bring their respective spouses and family and we were given a chance to explore an exhibition that is known as ‘Sultan of Science’. The traveling exhibition showcases nine main fields of Islamic scientific endeavour – mathematics and navigation, astronomy, medicine, instrument making, fine technology and invention, optics, engineering, architecture and flight.

I was amazed to see the things in the exhibition. Truthfully, the folks back then were seriously ahead of their time where technology is concerned. And having seen the exhibition, I noticed that there are loads of notable discoveries and inventions currently attributed to Western scientists were, in fact, first made by Muslim scholars.

Water clock

Perpetual flute

The magic flask

Wudhu machine- a machine that is invented to make wudhu easier. Wudhu is an Islamic procedure for washing parts of the body using water, typically in preparation for formal prayers. Muslims are also required to be clean when handling and reading the Holy Quran. Permitted water types for wudhu is rain water,spring, sea or river water,water of melting snow or hail, well water, etc.

Rock and pinion cam

Four bolt lock

Crankshaft, an 800 years old invention that converts rotary into linear motion, a mechanism used in many modern engines.

A combination lock.

Voyage of Zheng exhibition. He was formerly romanized as Cheng Ho. A Hui-Chinese-Muslim court eunuch, mariner, explorer, diplomat and fleet admiral, who commanded voyages to Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, Somalia and the Swahili coast. Traces of his exploits can be seen in our own country; Malacca.

An exhibition item

An exhibition item that shows you how actually birds fly.

Math and algebra section

Optical illusion exhibition

Another exhibit item. Quite awesome to fiddle around with.

Surgical tools used to perform surgeries back during the ancient times. 😀 invented by Abu al-Qasim Khalaf ibn al-Abbas Al-Zahrawi (936–1013). He is known in the West as Albucasis, was an Arab Muslim physician who lived in Al-Andalus. He is considered the greatest medieval surgeon to have appeared from the Islamic World, and has been described by many as the father of modern surgery.His greatest contribution to medicine is the Kitab al-Tasrif, a thirty-volume encyclopedia of medical practices.

His pioneering contributions to the field of surgical procedures and instruments had an enormous impact in the East and West well into the modern period, where some of his discoveries are still applied in medicine to this day.

Dental surgery tools

Eye surgery tools

Bone surgery tools

Astrological exhibit- The quadrant, an instrument that is used to measure angles up to 90°.

First page of a manuscript on ‘Deciphering Cryptographic Messages’.

Ancient book on botany and zoology.

Ancient book on astronomy

Back during the ancient times, the Arabs-Muslim used plenty of natural herbs and spices to make perfume. We were shown the method too during the exhibition.

Apart from getting to play with exhibition items, there was also science show and demo in the Sultan of Science Exhibition. It’s fun and interactive and requires a lot of audience’s participation.

There was also magic show during the fam trip. Performed by Edison Lim.

Group photo: Bloggers and family.

One thing I love about the exhibition in Petrosains (including the Sultan of Science) is that we’re allowed to touch and experiment with the exhibition items, unlike the exhibitions in museums, where you can only see and admire, but cannot touch anything at all. That, and that alone makes the place enjoyable for family with young children who more often than not, would love to touch things that they see instead of just looking at them. A truly an-eye opening experience not only for me, but for my entire family too.

If you’re looking for a fun-filled activity for the entire family this upcoming school holiday, I daresay a visit to Petrosains for the Sultan of Science exhibition is quite a good bet.

Below is the opening hours, in case you’re interested in going:

Tue / Wed / Thu / Fri 9.30 am 4.00 pm 5.30 pm

Sat / Sun / Public Holiday 9.30 am 5.00 pm 6.30 pm

Mondays closed (except for Public Holidays)

Open on all public holidays with the exception of Hari Raya Puasa and Hari Raya Haji.

For ticketing and info on Sultan of Science, click HERE