Yalda Night ✨
A Persian tradition celebrating light, hope, and togetherness.

#YaldaNight #ShabYalda #PersianCulture #IranianHeritage #IntangibleHeritage #CulturalTraditions #WinterSolstice

🌸If you're free on 15th January, why not sign up for one of our art workshops relating to our Persian collections? We ran some with Persian communities in November and they were such a great experience!

These workshops are open for all but will be the same content as the last ones (but shorter!). 🌷

🎨 Art Workshops at Kew 📚

Second round of creative art workshops inspired by Persia Reimagined: From Herbarium to Heritage

📅 15 January 2026
🕙 10:45 or 13:45 (90 minutes)
📍 Library & Archives, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Morning 10:45 : lnkd.in/ek2GZtQn
Afternoon 13:45 : lnkd.in/eHZPTqbj

Interested in Persian collections? This Wednesday, we will be hosting a talk about the Persian materials within our archive, focusing on the unexpected cultural & social histories:
Learn more 👉 ow.ly/ENHb50XCLJ2
#KewLA

Do we have archives relating to your history? Probably! Our archive reflects global histories & is open to all. Conservator Shabnam Balouch has helped uncover our Persian archive, and you can find out more at an upcoming talk & our free public workshops in January! #EYAYourArchives #KewLA

Hello Bishopsgate Institute! Here's what our team said: "We're always keen to share our collections with wider audiences. Our current exhibition, for example, explores the social and cultural histories tucked away in our Persian collections. Read more about them here: www.kew.org/read-and-wat...

🌷 If you'd like to find out more about the exhibition @shabnambalouch.bsky.social and I co-curated, do have a read of our blog post! We go into a bit more detail on the research and collections involved. 🌷

We have an exciting new exhibition in our Library & Archives Reading Room: 'Persia Reimagined: From Herbarium to Heritage' takes a closer look at the social and cultural histories tucked away inside our Persian collections.
Free admission, no booking required. #KewLA

🌷New exhibition open - this was such a great experience to co-curate with @shabnambalouch.bsky.social and learn more about Persia. We have chosen to highlight the non-botanical, the cultural and social histories often tucked away in botanists' papers. 🌷

www.kew.org/kew-gardens/...

🔍 Research isn’t just about results — it’s about showing up, taking breaks when needed, then coming back stronger.

Consistency means returning to the archive, staying curious, and trusting the process. That’s where the real value is.

#Research #Archives #Consistency

– What are you up to?
+I’m lost in photos and manuscripts, wandering through Iran in the Reza Shah Pahlavi era. 1930s

#london #londonlife #londonheritage ‎ #kewgardenslondon #kewgardens #kewarchives #persian #persia #pahlavi

Being a conservator ?
Everybody wants this 😎

We recently carried out some rehanging in the historic rooms at Leighton House, a great opportunity to refresh the space while ensuring the highest standards of care.

Rehanging isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s a perfect time to make sure each piece goes back on the wall dust-free.

History cannot be renamed.
Trump’s bid to call the Persian Gulf the “Arabian Gulf” isn’t symbolic—it’s historical revisionism.
The name has stood for 2,500+ years. It’s not an opinion. It’s a fact.
#PersianGulf #HistoryMatters #DecoloniseGeography #Iran

I’ve been busy framing new works that will soon be going on display.

It’s always a privilege to handle these pieces so closely, ensuring they’re protected and presented with care.
A short video capturing part of the framing process, a quiet moment in the busy rhythm of exhibition changeover.

Just another day in my favourite garden and archive ! 🌿🌿🌿
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Mughal Art & Culture exhibition at the V&A, stunningly curated.
Persian names and artists were everywhere, yet the framing felt cautious. The trauma of the earlier Mongol invasions of Persia, which ironically led to the Persianisation of their rulers, was also missing.
Still a brilliant show.

We’re so focused on what’s next we forget how hard we worked to get where we are.

Moving to the UK meant starting from scratch. It came with the quiet weight of losing parts of my past, which fuels that pressure to overachieve.

I’m learning to slow down and to appreciate the present.

A Slice of a Conservator’s Day!

#conservation
#leightonhousemuseum #Sambournehouse #Sambournehousemuseum #victorianhome #leightonhouse #london #londonlife #londonheritage