Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization

Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization is a city museum in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, dedicated to the history and material culture of Islamic societies; it opened as a public museum in 2008. The museum presents artifacts and exhibits that trace developments in religion, art, science and daily life across the Islamic world.

Exhibition highlights include collections of Qur’anic and manuscript material, scientific and navigational instruments, ceramics, textiles and coins, arranged across multiple themed galleries. The displays are organised to show technological and artistic developments as well as religious and social history.

The museum was established by the Sharjah Museums Authority to conserve and display objects from the Islamic cultural sphere and to support research and education. The institution also hosts temporary exhibitions and educational programmes aimed at local and international visitors.

The museum sits on Sharjah’s Corniche near the waterfront of Khalid Lagoon in Sharjah city. It is accessible from central Sharjah and from neighbouring emirates by road.

• Best time to visit: Weekdays and early mornings tend to be less crowded for seeing manuscript displays and smaller galleries.
• Managing authority: The museum is run by the Sharjah Museums Authority and focuses on material culture and scientific achievements from across the Muslim world.

What to See #

• Permanent galleries: Houses a comprehensive collection of Islamic artefacts including manuscripts, scientific instruments, ceramics, textiles and coins across multiple themed galleries.
• Building and setting: Located in a domed, whitewashed building on Sharjah's corniche that was developed to display objects spanning early Islamic history through the later medieval and Ottoman periods.