Event overview
In conjunction with the MFI’s Syria in Transition series, Syria Prisons Museum (SPM) displays a powerful exhibition documenting crimes and violations in Syrian prisons
The exhibition introduces the work of the Prisons Museum, a Syrian civil society initiative pursuing accountability and justice for Syria's disappeared and imprisoned, contributing to the memory culture of the post-war nation. The Prisons Museum core work focuses on the documentation of detention sites and the experiences of those imprisoned across Syria and also Iraq, as it addresses the prisons of the so called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) from 2014 to 2017 and the state prisons of the Assad dictatorship. Based on its forensic visual documentation that is cross-referenced with survivor testimonies and found documentation the museum investigates how systems of detention were used as tools of repression, violence, and control and the human toll of it.
The exhibition presents two case studies from Syria. The first is Sednaya Prison, one of the most notorious detention sites North of Damascus in Syria. Reconstruction of the architecture of the prisons is accompanied by information about the daily life behind its walls. The second is the Stadium Prison, where ISIS transformed a sports stadium in Raqqa in Syria into a detention and torture site. Alongside these in-depth examples, the exhibition includes additional cases that demonstrate how ISIS repurposed everyday buildings - such as houses, churches, schools, and commercial spaces - into prisons, revealing how civilian architecture was systematically transformed into spaces of incarceration.
For in-depth interaction with the virtual museum spaces, QR-codes guide visitors to the online 3D-tours of the sites.
The exhibition is a co-curation between the MFI and the Syria Prisons Museum team, and presents powerful forensic investigations and reconstructions documenting Syria’s detention sites, creating space for critical reflection and learning within the Goldsmiths community.
Join the MFI and SPM for Syria In Transition Part 2: Prisons in Room RHB 137a on Tuesday 3 February 2026 at 5.15pm: https://www.gold.ac.uk/calendar/?id=15761
Dates & times
| Date | Time | Add to calendar |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Feb 2026 | 9:00am - 6:00pm | |
| 3 Feb 2026 | 9:00am - 6:00pm | |
| 4 Feb 2026 | 9:00am - 6:00pm | |
| 5 Feb 2026 | 9:00am - 6:00pm | |
| 6 Feb 2026 | 9:00am - 6:00pm | |
| 7 Feb 2026 | 9:00am - 6:00pm | |
| 8 Feb 2026 | 9:00am - 6:00pm | |
| 9 Feb 2026 | 9:00am - 6:00pm | |
| 10 Feb 2026 | 9:00am - 6:00pm | |
| 11 Feb 2026 | 9:00am - 6:00pm | |
| 12 Feb 2026 | 9:00am - 6:00pm | |
| 13 Feb 2026 | 9:00am - 6:00pm | |
| 14 Feb 2026 | 9:00am - 6:00pm | |
| 15 Feb 2026 | 9:00am - 6:00pm | |
| 16 Feb 2026 | 9:00am - 6:00pm | |
| 17 Feb 2026 | 9:00am - 6:00pm | |
| 18 Feb 2026 | 9:00am - 6:00pm | |
| 19 Feb 2026 | 9:00am - 6:00pm | |
| 20 Feb 2026 | 9:00am - 6:00pm | |
| 21 Feb 2026 | 9:00am - 6:00pm | |
| 22 Feb 2026 | 9:00am - 6:00pm | |
| 23 Feb 2026 | 9:00am - 6:00pm |
Accessibility
If you are attending an event and need the College to help with any mobility requirements you may have, please contact the event organiser in advance to ensure we can accommodate your needs.
