Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah, Queen of Malaysia, has officially graced the special exhibition “1001 Inventions: The Enduring Legacies of Muslim Civilisation” at the Putrajaya Festival of Ideas (FOI) 2025, held at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC). (BERNAMA)
Produced by 1001 Inventions in collaboration with Malaysia’s Ministry of Higher Education (Kementerian Pendidikan Tinggi – KPT), the exhibition is a flagship STEM experience within the five-day national festival, which showcases innovation, creativity and ideas that support Malaysia’s vision for a knowledge- and innovation-driven economy. (BERNAMA)
The exhibition attracted thousands of children, students and families from across Malaysia, offering an inspiring journey that connects science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to a thousand years of creativity from Muslim civilisation and other global cultures. (The Rakyat insight)
Royal opening highlights STEM heritage
Her Majesty visited the 1001 Inventions pavilion on 7 November 2025, spending about an hour exploring the interactive displays that highlight the contributions of the Islamic world and other civilisations to the development of global science and technology. She was received on arrival at PICC by Deputy Minister of Higher Education Datuk Mustapha Sakmud. (BERNAMA)
The Royal visit underscored Malaysia’s commitment to celebrating scientific heritage while inspiring future generations to pursue STEM learning and careers.
STEM journeys through a thousand years of ideas
The 1001 Inventions exhibition at FOI 2025 invites visitors on a multi-sensory STEM journey, blending historical artefacts, replicas, films and interactive experiences to show how scientists, engineers and inventors from Muslim civilisation laid foundations for many aspects of the modern world. (1001 Inventions)
The exhibition:
- Brings to life pioneering scholars in fields such as astronomy, medicine, engineering, mathematics, optics and geography.
- Demonstrates how ideas in algebra, algorithms, geometry, measurement and mechanics developed during the Golden Age of Muslim civilisation influenced later European and global scientific advances. (1001 Inventions)
- Connects these historic breakthroughs to contemporary STEM fields, from space science and medicine to sustainable technologies and digital innovation. (BERNAMA)
By linking the past, present and future of STEM, the exhibition helps young visitors see mathematics and science not as abstract school subjects, but as creative tools for solving real-world challenges.
FOI 2025: A national platform for ideas and innovation
The 1001 Inventions exhibition forms one of the main attractions at Putrajaya Festival of Ideas 2025, organised by the Ministry of Higher Education and hosted in Putrajaya as a showcase of national innovation, research and talent. (BERNAMA)
With the festival theme “Shaping the Future and Realising Ideas”, FOI 2025 brings together policymakers, universities, industry leaders, youth and the wider public to explore how ideas can be transformed into impactful solutions. Key programmes include the Malaysia Ideas Summit, Global Higher Education Summit & Showcase, Advanced TVET and Entrepreneurship forums, a Careers Carnival and Internship Market, alongside cultural and community events. (BERNAMA)
Within this dynamic ecosystem, the 1001 Inventions STEM exhibition provides a powerful cultural and educational anchor — demonstrating that innovation has deep historical roots while encouraging young people to imagine their own future contributions.
Reigniting a successful partnership with Malaysia
The presence of 1001 Inventions at FOI 2025 marks a return to Malaysia after a hugely successful multi-year national tour.
The award-winning 1001 Inventions exhibition premiered in Kuala Lumpur in 2013 at the National Science Centre (Pusat Sains Negara), launched by the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia. (1001 Inventions) It then toured to multiple locations including Kuala Terengganu, Melaka, Kedah and Pekan, engaging hundreds of thousands of visitors and running through to 2017–2018 as one of Asia’s most prominent science exhibitions. (1001 Inventions)
This new collaboration with FOI 2025 therefore reignites national interest in the 1001 Inventions theme, building on that legacy to support Malaysia’s current focus on STEM education, innovation and Malaysia Madani values. (BERNAMA)
Ahmed Salim: “STEM learning through experiences”
Ahmed Salim, Producer and Director at 1001 Inventions, said:
“Bringing 1001 Inventions back to Malaysia for the Festival of Ideas has been incredibly special,”
“More than a decade ago, our multi-year tour across Malaysia showed us how strongly families, teachers and young people connect with stories of scientific discovery when they are told through immersive experiences. To return now, within a national platform dedicated to ideas and innovation, allows us to deepen that impact with a new generation.”
“This exhibition is about STEM learning through experiences. We want children and students to feel that science, technology, engineering and mathematics are not distant or intimidating, but part of their own story — rooted in the rich heritage of this region and essential to the solutions Malaysia will contribute to the world in the years ahead.”
Ahmed Salim
Producer and Director
1001 Inventions
About 1001 Inventions
1001 Inventions is an award-winning, UK-based STEM education and cultural heritage organisation that works with universities, museums, science centres and governments worldwide. The organisation creates exhibitions, festivals, films, books and educational programmes that highlight how men and women from Muslim civilisation and other cultures helped lay foundations for many aspects of the modern world.(1001 Inventions)
By combining engaging STEM content with compelling storytelling and hands-on experiences, 1001 Inventions aims to inspire young people to pursue STEM careers and to see themselves as part of a long, diverse and shared story of scientific creativity.
