Through research and publications, higher education and a public programme of lectures and exhibitions, the organisations located in the Aga Khan Centre serve as bridges in building understanding about Muslim cultures and societies. The Aga Khan Library, London, for example, houses the unique collections of IIS and AKU-ISMC and provides space for study and secure archival storage of rare books and manuscripts. AKF and its partners work to improve the quality of life for people of all faiths and backgrounds in some of the world’s most disadvantaged communities, and the Aga Khan Centre informs the public about these global development issues.

The IIS was established in 1977 to promote scholarship and learning about Muslim societies and to encourage a better understanding of their relationships with other cultures and faiths. Its research, publications and educational programmes promote scholarship in previously marginalised areas of the study of Islam.

The Centre has been designed by Maki and Associates, led by Fumihiko Maki, one of Japan’s most distinguished contemporary architects. It represents the values of openness, dialogue and respect for different viewpoints (pluralism). A distinctive feature of the Aga Khan Centre is its six gardens, courtyards and terraces inspired by Islamic landscape design from Spain, North Africa and the Middle East to Central and South Asia. Garden tours are open to the public at scheduled times.

The Centre houses a gallery with a changing programme of exhibitions and aims to add a unique contribution to London’s cultural offer as well as nationally and internationally. Nearby Victoria Hall King’s Cross is a hall of residence which provides accommodation for students of the IIS and ISMC as well as other students studying in London. Victoria Hall also has two outdoor spaces – a courtyard on the first floor and a terraced garden on the eighth floor, both designed by Vladimir Djurovic who also designed the Aga Khan Park in Toronto. The eight gardens at the Aga Khan Centre and Victoria Hall, and two gardens in the public realm, form a ribbon of green spaces which reflect the rich diversity of cultures across the world of Islam.