Tour the Heart of Sharjah area and be inspired by architecture and the simplicity of a lifestyle that has thrived long ago. Discover a world of knowledge with more than twenty modern museums and explore the history of Sharjah, which dates back more than 6,000 years.
Here you can see the authentic Sharjah, as preserved in time, before the discovery of oil: when it was the most important port in the region and its wealth came from commerce, the fishing community, and the pearls.
The Sharjah Maritime Museum opened its doors for the first time in the Heritage Area in early 2003 to highlight the UAE maritime life. However, due to the importance of the sea and its transcendence in the region’s heritage, the museum was expanded and moved to Al Khan in 2009. The sea has played a vital role in the development of Sharjah and was the main reason why the one that the first settlers chose this enclave more than 6000 years ago.
In the museum, you can explore the dhows, the traditional wooden boats that are used for fishing, trade and pearl collection. Besides, each of the boats is designed according to its use. See authentic Persian pearls and discover how they are collected, measured and weighed. Admire the tough wooden pulleys used to hoist and lower sails and discover local traditions for catching fish.
The Sharjah Calligraphy Museum was opened in 2002. It is located in the Hamad Al Midfaa residence building, in the Heritage Area of Sharjah (Heart of Sharjah). Enter this museum and start a fascinating journey of discovery through centuries of Arabic heritage in the form of beautifully written calligraphy.
Created by local artists and calligraphers of international renown, the important works of art from the Arab world you will find here demonstrate the complexity of this vibrant artistic manifestation and its historical and Islamic foundations. The Arabic calligraphy captured on canvas, wood, paper, and ceramics will inspire you with positive vital energy.
This school, founded in 1935 as the first institution dedicated specifically to education, received students from across the Gulf region.
Get to know school life as it was about 70 years ago: sit on the wooden desks in the shadowed classrooms and imagine yourself attending an Islamic school. See the images of the people who gave life to the education and visit the director’s room to admire the support of the Holy Quran made of palm wood. During the school year, international students spent their nights in the bedroom located on the top floor.
The Museum of Islamic Civilization of Sharjah was renovated and reopened in 2008 as an important tourist landmark in the region and the first of its kind in the UAE. Located right in the historic centre of Sharjah, on the Majarrah Waterfront, this fascinating museum began its activity as a traditional Middle Eastern souk or covered market.
The predecessor of the museum was the so-called Museum of Islam and was located in one of the patrimonial houses of the Heritage Area. The museum was established in 1996 and continued to receive visitors until 2007 when it moved to its new location and became known as the Museum of Islamic Civilization of Sharjah.
The building of the new Islamic Civilization Museum in Sharjah, now transformed into an avant-garde cultural centre, houses more than five thousand exquisite ancient Islamic pieces from around the Islamic world and arranged by themes in seven large galleries and exhibition areas.
In 1932 the first airport of the United Arab Emirates was inaugurated in Sharjah and was used as a stopover for commercial flights en route from Great Britain to India.
From man’s first attempts to fly to the landing on the moon, in this museum -located in the first building of the Sharjah airport- he will be able to explore the history of flights and the development of aviation in this region. Enjoy watching a very interesting film about daily life at the airport and in the city of Sharjah during the 1930s and experience this fascinating period of Sharjah’s history first-hand. Four of the original propeller planes, fully restored, stand guard in the hangar next to the original refuelling tank.
The Sharjah Science Museum, which opened in 1996, currently has more than 50 interactive exhibits for all ages. This museum brings science to life and has many interactive exhibits and exhibitions designed to stimulate and inspire the visitor.
Whatever your age, have fun discovering science with practical experiments and optical illusions, exploring colour, aerodynamics, cryogenics, and physiology. Participate in a demonstration of electricity generation, explore the secrets of space and test your reflexes and your resistance. Even young children can satisfy their curiosity about the world around us in their own playground.
The Sharjah Museum of Archeology was inaugurated in 1993. It moved to its current location in 1997 and serves as a permanent archive of all archaeological finds recovered in the Emirate of Sharjah since the beginning of archaeological excavations in 1972. Discover how the Chronicles of Sharjah’s oldest history come to life in this interesting museum.
Explore the constantly changing environments experienced by the inhabitants of the region, from the Stone Age to the present, through exhibits of artefacts, coins, jewellery, pottery, and ancient weapons. Investigate an ongoing archaeological excavation, explore the different models of graves, houses, and tombs and contemplate the first forms of writing in the area.
The Aquarium of Sharjah was inaugurated in the area of Al Khan Old in 2008. The Aquarium has an area of 6,500 m², is distributed over two floors equipped with 20 water aquariums (each with 1.8 million litres) of water) and is the centre of learning of the largest emirate in the UAE. Immerse yourself in the colourful, rich and diverse underwater world, home to a great variety of marine life native to the seas of the region.
With more than 250 species, there is much to see, from the smallest clownfish and delicate seahorses to moray eels, rays, and coral sharks. Take an underwater trip and discover all kinds of aquatic beings, from the largest oceanic creatures to the smallest marine life that we observe in rocky pools, coral reefs, lagoons, and mangroves.
This centre for children’s activities is an excellent proposal for the whole family. It has seven thematic areas full of “practical activities” and lots of fun.
Synonymous with action and entertainment, enter an attractive place that explores the dynamics of water, the five senses, the art of travel and the mechanisms of the building; Become a television star, climb a wall and shop until you get tired at the children’s supermarket.
The Sharjah Heritage Museum reopened its doors in the Heritage Area (Heart of Sharjah) in 2012 as part of the expansion plan; The original museum opened for the first time in early 2003. The museum exhibits the rich traditions, customs and culture of Sharjah as a source of pride and inspiration for the UAE society and its visitors.
Discover the Landscape, the Lifestyle, the Celebrations, the Livelihoods, the Traditional Knowledge and the Oral Traditions of the rich heritage of Sharjah through a tour through the six galleries of the museum.
The clear testimony of the glory of Sharjah. Go back in time to enjoy the most important building in Sharjah from the beginning of the 19th century until the middle of the 20th century. Built in 1823, the historic fortress remains standing majestically in the Heart of Sharjah, giving vivid testimony of the days when it was used as the basis of the Government of Sharjah, the residence of the ruling Al Qasimi family and a jail.
On your tour through the museum, you will find a variety of fascinating galleries offering a wide range of photographs, objects, stories that give visitors a unique opportunity to experience the history that Sharjah and its people forged.
See how people lived in the fort and observe the incredible changes that Sharjah has experienced over the past two decades. Check what life was like in the Al Muhalwasa prison, learn how to make dibs (date molasses) and hold an inspiring conversation inside the traditional majlis (hall). You can also examine weapons similar to those that were used then to protect Al Hisn and discover the defensive strategies used by sheikhs and their guards.
Bait Al Naboodah opened its doors as a museum in 1995. This house belonged, in the beginning, to the last Obaid bin Eissa Bin Ali Al Shamsi, nicknamed Al Naboodah, a significant pearl merchant who maintained commercial ties with India, Africa, and France. Al Naboodah lived in this house, built in 1845, with his wife and seven children.
Here, in this charming two-story house from 1846, you can admire the traditional architecture of the Gulf at a time when air conditioning did not yet exist. Built around a large patio, you can see walls made of coral, admire innovative systems of “air conditioning” and unique decorative engravings, both in plaster and wood. Learn about the day to day life and family routines through the work done by Arab craftsmen in a bygone era.
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