Garden Gathering, first quarter 17th century. Iran, probably Isfahan. Stonepaste; painted and polychrome glazed (cuerda seca technique). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Rogers Fund, 1903 (03.9c)

Save the Date: Sunday, April 28, 1:00–5:00 p.m.

«This year, April showers will bring more than just May flowers—they will also bring a free festival inspired by springtime! On Sunday, April 28, visitors of all ages are invited to usher in the season by immersing themselves in the splendors of the Islamic world and the ancient Near East.»

Follow the footsteps of young performers from the J-Hoon Musical Ensemble and the Nritya Saagaram Dance Academy of New York as they perform traditional Kurdish and Indian music and dances. Embark on a sensory art tour in which you'll encounter a marvelous cat that once filled a room with scented smoke! Hear haunting Arabic music and magical stories in four different languages, create your own marbled paper with an artist from the Turkish Cultural Center, and have your name written in Arabic by a master calligrapher. Before you leave for the day, let a henna artist decorate your hands with painted flowers and birds found in spring gardens. See the full schedule of festival events.

Spring festivals are celebrated throughout the Near East, and some of them are ancient! The Akitu Festival is one of the oldest. It was one of the most important festivals in ancient Mesopotamia and took place every spring around the time of the equinox. Celebrated in the ancient city of Babylon, the festival may have been the only time when the people of Babylon saw their king and statues of their gods in public.

Two panels with striding lions, ca. 604–562 B.C. Mesopotamia, Babylon (modern Hillah). Ceramic, glaze. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Fletcher Fund, 1931 (31.13.1-.2)

These striding lions are just two of the dozens that decorated the walls flanking the Processional Way, the most important street in Babylon. During the Akitu Festival, the gods traveled from throughout Babylonia down the Processional Way to visit the chief god of the pantheon, Marduk, in his temple inside the city. Imagine the gods and their priestly entourages traveling to the city—probably by boat—and then parading down the Processional Way flanked by these lions! We invite you to visit these two examples in gallery 404 during the festival.

Senses of Springtime is made possible in part by the Great Circle Foundation.

The programs are presented by The Metropolitan Museum of Art in consultation with Alwan for the Arts.

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Festivals