Exhibitions

Exhibitions have been a common method of proclamation used by Bahá'ís. Such exhibitions can either be on a specific subject or used as a general introduction to the Bahá'í Faith.

Exhibitions on specific subjects

An exhibition on a specific subject may have a target audience. For example, during the World Congress held in New York, an exhibition was held concentrating on the visit of 'Abdu'l-Baha to New York. Those who visited it were all Bahá'ís, with a shared knowledge of who 'Abdu'l-Bahá was, and a shared interest in New York.

Exhibitions as an introduction to the Bahá'í Faith

Exhibitions have frequently been used as a way of introducing the Faith to the public, especially in areas which have been relatively untouched by the Faith. They typically would use vertical mounted boards, onto which material including text, photographs and maps would be added. These would often by accompanied by leaflets on the Faith, and would often be "manned" by Bahá'ís who would be "on hand" to answer questions and to involve members of the public in discussion. Also, such exhibitions would often be followed up by public meetings, to which members of the public would be invited. A deliberate attempt to present the Faith could be made by hiring a public hall, but exhibitions are sometimes used at existing functions, for example at a large festival featuring stands from multiple organisations and participants.