Assembled over the course of five decades by the noted art collector Edmund de Unger (1918–2011), the Keir Collection is recognized by scholars as one of the world’s most geographically and historically comprehensive. Consisting of nearly 2,000 works, it spans from the Western Mediterranean to South Asia and across more than 13 centuries. It includes luxurious carpets and textiles; notable metalwork; rare works in rock crystal; lavish Qur’ans and illustrated manuscripts; and exceptional ceramics. The collection is considered an indispensable resource for scholarship in the field of Islamic art.  

On long-term loan to the DMA, the Keir Collection supports the Museum’s emphasis on cultural exchange and is part of the DMX program, which is designed to foster international communication and collaboration. The 15-year loan of this expansive collection advances the DMA’s growing focus on new models for collection-building and cultural exchange and on transforming its Islamic art collection into the third largest of its kind in North America.