Al Eslah School Museum
This museum focuses on the UAE educational system. Highlights from the collections include:
- A shoulder bone of a dead camel, used for writing in the semi-formal education system around 1956.
- An inkwell and a pen from copper made in 1940; they were purchased from India.
- A student’s bag used to carry books, made in 1939.
- A teacher’s bag, made in 1935, from natural raw leather. It was used to carry the teacher’s tools and supplies, such as papers, pens, chalk and other items.
Interested?
The museum is opposite Bayt Al Naboodah Museum, next to Arsah Souq in the heart of Sharjah.
Entry is free.
Ramadhan hours:
Saturday to Thursday: 9am to 2pm
Closed on Friday
Opening hours are otherwise:
Saturday to Thursday: 8am to 8pm
Friday: 4pm to 8pm
Al Mahatta Museum
This is the site of the first airport in the UAE, built in 1932 and then turned into a museum highlighting the history of flight in the UAE and the surrounding region. Highlights from the collection include:
- Hanno passenger plane - a model of the first plane to land in Al Mahatta airport, in 1932. It was used to transport passengers.
- Aircraft black box
- Turboprop engine with a propeller: One of six CFM International models of aircraft engines, produced by CFM56-5 Company. This engine was made specifically for the twin-engine Airbus that travels short to medium distances.
- The first cinema in the Arabian Gulf: Sharjah Cinema, the first cinema in the Gulf region, was inaugurated in 1945 in at the original Sharjah airport (Al Mahatta). Cinema-goers used to sit on empty kerosene steel drums half filled with sand.
Interested?
The museum is in the Al Mahatta area, opposite Al Qasimya District in Sharjah, behind The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs. Free entry to children under 13 years; anyone over 13 years, AED5.
Ramadhan hours:
Saturday to Thursday: 9am to 2pm
Closed on Friday
Opening hours are otherwise:
Saturday to Thursday: 8am to 8pm
Friday: 4pm to 8pm
Bait Sheikh Saeed Bin Hamad Al Qasimi in Kalba
This heritage house in the UAE in Kalba on the east coast of the Arabian Gulf was the residence of Sheikh Saeed and his family. Sheikh Saeed ruled and signed several agreements from within this house which was built between 1898 and 1901 in the Emirati architectural style. Today, Bait Sheikh Saeed houses Islamic collectibles that have significant importance. Some highlights from the collection:
- A rifle decorated with metal plates, given away by His Highness Sheikh / Haitham bin Saqr bin Sultan Al Qassimi, Deputy Head of the Office of HH the Ruler of Kalba. Displayed in the Sheikh’s room.
- Alyazrh, an irrigation tool that consists of four pillars made of palm trunks used to support a pulley. It has a leather bucket belted with a rope; a bull pulls the other end of the rope as the farmer walks it up and down the passageway to pull out the bucket after it is filled with water, then turns it over to pour out the water for crop irrigation.
- Quran manuscript: A complete copy of the Quran inlaid with gold that has been preserved for nearly 700 years. The first edition was published in Beirut in 1982.
Interested?
Bait Sheikh Saeed bin Hamad Al Qasimi is near Al Kalba fort, directly on the east coast of the Arabian Gulf, in Kalba. Free entry to children under 13 years; anyone over 13 years, AED3.
Ramadhan hours:
Saturday to Thursday: 9am to 2pm
Closed on Friday
Opening hours are otherwise:
Saturday to Thursday: 8am to 8pm
Friday: 4pm to 8pm
Sharjah Aquarium
Covering an area of 6,500 m², it consists of two floors equipped with 20 aquariums, each filled with approximately 1.8 million litres of water.
Interested?
Sharjah Aquarium is in the Al Khan Old area. Free entry to both Sharjah Aquarium and the Sharjah Maritime Museum for children under 2 years; children aged 2 to 12, AED15; anyone over 13 years, AED25. Family tickets for two adults and 3 children: AED70.
Ramadhan hours:
Monday to Saturday: 9am to 2pm, and 9:30pm to 11:30pm
Friday: 9:30pm to 11:30pm
Sunday: closed
Opening hours are otherwise:
Saturday to Thursday: 8am to 8pm
Friday: 4pm to 10pm
Sunday: closed
Sharjah Archaeology Museum
This museum sheds light on the lifestyle of people in the region from the stone age till the rise of Islam. Highlights from the collection include:
- Ceramic dome (900 to 600 BC) with holes and a statue of a bull; it was probably a censer’s lid. It was discovered at the Muweilah archaeological site, which dates back to the Iron Age. This dome provides a proof of commercial relations with Yemen BC.
- Golden bridle (150 BC to 200 AD): found buried with the remains of a horse and a camel in Mleiha by a local excavation team. This item represents the wealthy lifestyle some of the Mleiha inhabitants enjoyed during that period.
- Ceramic camel statue (900 to 600 BC): Also found in Muweilah, this item shows man had domesticated camels in 1,000 BC.
- Ivory comb placed inside an alabaster bowl (2,200 to 2,000 BC): both were found in a cemetery in Tell Abraq. The tulip flower adorning the comb shows that it was made in Central Asia, although the ivory was probably taken from an Indian elephant.
Interested?
This museum is in the Helwan area between the Children Center-Helwan, and Sharjah Science Museum on Sheikh Rashid Bin Saqr Al Qasimi Road leading to Sharjah Media Corporation, Sharjah TV. Free entry to children under 13 years; anyone over 13 years, AED5.
Ramadhan hours:
Saturday to Thursday: 9am to 2pm
Closed on Friday
Opening hours are otherwise:
Saturday to Thursday: 8am to 8pm
Friday: 4pm to 8pm
Sharjah Art Museum
Visit one of the largest art exhibitions in the Gulf region, which contains permanent collections of contemporary art from some of the most famous artists in the Middle East, including Abdulqader Al Rais, Louay Kayali, Bashir Sinwar, Faiq Hassan, Mohammed Yusuf and Ismail Fatah Al-Turk. The three-storey museum showcases more than 500 artworks. An Art Library houses over 4,000 titles in Arabic, English and other languages, along with visual and audio materials. Highlights of the collection include:
- Works by Palestinian artist Suleiman Mansour, revolving around the Israeli–Palestinian conflict and the occupied Palestinian territories.
- Paintings by the Iraqi artist Jamil Hamoudi, one of the pioneers of modern Iraqi arts.
- Paintings by the Kuwaiti artist Thuraya Al-Baqsami, entitled Min Wahi Failaka (inspirations from Failaka).
Interested?
The museum is in the Arts Area, Al-Shuwaihiyeen, near Al-Corniche post office - the heart of Sharjah. Free entry.
Ramadhan hours:
Saturday to Thursday: 9am to 2pm, and 9:30pm to 11:30pm
Friday: closed
The museum will also be closed during the evening shift of the last 10 days of Ramadhan.
Opening hours are otherwise:
Saturday to Thursday: 8am to 8pm
Friday: 4pm to 10pm
Sharjah Calligraphy Museum
The house of Hamad Al Midfaa in the Sharjah Heritage Area (heart of Sharjah) has been turned into a museum displaying the evolution of Arabic calligraphy. Highlights from the collection include:
- Three historic paintings in the Kufic style by calligraphers from Al Kufa; these artworks depict the three stages of the emergence of calligraphy with the Kufic script*
- The Al-Hulia Al-sharifa, by Iraqi calligrapher Ziad Al Muhandis and considered the largest in the Islamic world to date at 280 by 300cm. A description of the Messenger of Allah, the prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), in the Thuluth font in 1420.
- Sixteen katateeb boards, a gift from Sudan. These are used for teaching Quran, Islam, and how to read and write. Two of the boards show a drawing of a mosque, indicating that the students who used them have read the Quran, either partly or wholly.
Interested?
The museum is at Calligraphy Square, in the heart of Sharjah. Free entry to children under 13 years; anyone over 13 years, AED5.
Ramadhan hours:
Saturday to Thursday: 9am to 2pm
Closed on Friday
Opening hours are otherwise:
Saturday to Thursday: 8am to 8pm
Friday: 4pm to 8pm
Sharjah Classic Cars Museum
The Sharjah Classic Cars Museum displays vintage classic cars in addition to classic motorcycles and bicycles. The oldest car showcased in the museum dates back to 1917. Here, visitors will be able to get an up close look at classic car models and their specifications including Rolls Royce, Ford, Mercedes, Chevrolet, Bentley and many others. Highlights from the collection include:
- A 1915 Dodge model, the oldest car in the Sharjah Classic Cars Museum.
- A 1969 Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman: only 2,677 vehicles were manufactured. This bulletproof car belongs to HH Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah. Since the seventies, the Mercedes 600 was only made upon request, averaging just 25 cars yearly. The last car was manufactured in 1981. This car has unique specifications, including hydraulic seat adjustment, as well as window and door controls.
- A 1957 Bedford Model, which was used in the UAE for military purposes. Bedford RL trucks rolled off the production line in 1969. This British-made truck is six-cylinder, and has a maximum speed of over 112 km/h. The last Bedford car was manufactured in 1985.
Interested?
The museum is on Airport Road between the 4th and 5th intersections, next to Sharjah International Airport and opposite Sharjah Discovery Centre. Free entry to children under 13 years; anyone over 13 years, AED5.
Ramadhan hours:
Saturday to Thursday: 9am to 2pm
Closed on Friday
Opening hours are otherwise:
Saturday to Thursday: 8am to 8pm
Friday: 4pm to 8pm
Sharjah Discovery Centre
Sharjah Discovery Centre helps children aged three to 12 years explore science and technology in a safe, colourful environment. In the Water World, children can race in the small boats pool, learn about jellyfish, and design fountains. At the Sharjah Kids International Airport, they can place carry-on baggage under the X-ray device for inspection, and explore famous landmarks including the Eiffel Tower in Paris and Big Ben in London. Body World teaches anatomy, and lets children test their strength and reflexes. Build Town, Drive Town, Sports World, TV Studio, Supermarket and the Storyteller Area make up the remaining zones.
Interested?
Sharjah Discovery Centre is along Sharjah Airport Road between interchanges 4 and 5, opposite Sharjah Classic Cars Museum and Sharjah Airport. Free entry to children under two years; children between two and 12, AED5; anyone over 13 years, AED10.
Ramadhan hours:
Saturday to Thursday: 9am to 2pm
Closed on Friday
Opening hours are otherwise:
Saturday to Thursday: 8am to 8pm
Friday: 4pm to 8pm
Sharjah Heritage Museum
This museum features the lifestyle, habits and crafts shaped by the diverse environments which Emirati people have lived in, from marine and coastal environments to mountainous and agricultural areas. The museum also highlights authentic Arab hospitality, celebrations, sciences and livelihoods. Highlights from the collection include:
- A rectangular wooden loom used to make pillows, tents and rugs.
- Aftakh: A golden toe ring worn by women.
- Soieih abaya: A mantle for the head, made of wool and golden yarn.
- Glass baby bottle in a crescent shape, with two teats, one for the day and the other for bedtime.
Interested?
The museum, in Bait Saeed Al Taweel Al Shamsi, is located opposite Al-Arsah souq, next to Bayt Al Naboodah and the theatrical association in the Heart of Sharjah. Free entry to children under 13 years; anyone over 13 years, AED5.
Ramadhan hours:
Saturday to Thursday: 9am to 2pm
Closed on Friday
Opening hours are otherwise:
Saturday to Thursday: 8am to 8pm
Friday: 4pm to 8pm
Sharjah Fort
Interested?
Free entry to children under 13 years; anyone over 13 years, AED5.
Ramadhan hours were not listed. Opening hours are:
Saturday to Thursday: 8am to 8pm
Friday: 4pm to 8pm
Friday: 4pm to 8pm
The following museums have been closed for restoration:
Bait Al Naboodah, a traditional Emirati house which has been turned into a museum reflecting the lifestyle and values of Emirati ancestors.
Majlis Al Midfa, a meeting place owned by Ibrahim bin Mohammed al Midfa, a prominent intellectual figure who contributed to the cultural development in the UAE, particularly Sharjah.
*According to the Sharjah Museum of Calligraphy, Kufic was known in the third century AH as Kufic al yabis (stiff) as it was written without any dots or nunation, the adding of the 'n' sound to the end of a vowel. Abu al-Aswad Al-Du'ali is credited with inventing a system of placing dots above selected letters of Quran verses to distinguish different consonants. He also replaced nunation with red dots.
The difficulty of distinguishing between similar letters such as (ب [b], ت [t], ث [th]) inspired Nasr bin Asim and Yahya bin Ya’amr to invent the ala’ajam (إِعْجَام) in the fifth century AH, the addition of dots to letters in order to differentiate the consonants.
Khalil ibn Aḥmad Al-Farahidi is credited with the current standard for Arabic diacritics; he replaced the red nunation, used by Al-Du'ali with the Arabic diacritics (short vowel marks) used today. These are the fathah (فَتْحَة), representing an 'ah' sound; dammah (ضَمَّة), an 'oo' sound; maddah (مَدَّة), representing a glottal stop followed by a long 'ah'; kasrah (كَسْرَة), an 'ee' sound; sukun (سُكُون), representing the lack of a vowel to follow; and tanwin (تَنْوِين) for nunation, ending a vowel with an 'n' sound.