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The Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization in the Heritage Area of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, opened in 2008, covers Islamic culture, from the first century AH (7 AD) to the fourteenth century AH (20 AD)from the Islamic world. The artifacts are displayed according to their time periods in six distinct galleries.
The museum is located on the Corniche Street in the Al Majarrah area, on the opposite side of the street from Sharjah Creek. Its characteristic golden dome makes it visible from far. It was originally constructed as an indoor market.
The museum comprises more than 5000 artifacts in seven galleries and display areas as follows:
The Abu Bakr Gallery of Islamic Faith
This gallery showcases the principles of Islam and the Holy Qur’an. Here, the five pillars of Islam, the foundations of the Islamic faith, are presented and the rituals of Hajj and Umrah are defined. It also depicts anthropomorphic parts of the Ka’aba and original parts of the honorable clothing of the Kaaba, the “Kiswah”, rare historical Quran manuscripts as well as model figures and pictures of mosques and their architecture from different parts of the Islamic world and Europe.
The Ibn Al-Haytham Gallery of Science and Technology
The most influential Islamic scientific achievements and contributions by great Muslim scholars are displayed here. Sophisticated three-dimensional models , audiovisuals and extensive information panels chart some of the most outstanding discoveries, inventions and theories developed by Muslim scholars in all fields, including astronomy, medicine, geography, architecture, mathematics, chemistry, military technology, marine navigation and engineering. The artifacts include complex early clocks, navigational aids and weapons.
Islamic Art Gallery 1
The artifacts displayed here include pottery, metalwork, woodcarving, manuscripts and textiles that date back to 1st to 7th centuries AH (7th ــ 13th centuries AD). This early period marked the expansion of Islamic civilization and culture from the Arabian peninsula to the Atlantic in the West and the borders of China in the East. During the early part of this period art taken from the ancient Hellenistic and Persian worlds were adopted and modified to suite the aesthetic, cultural and religious tastes of the new Islamic order. In the latter part a new style emerged, characterized by an emphasis on Arab-Islamic scripts as well as geometric and floral decoration.
Islamic Art Gallery 2
This gallery features important Islamic artworks dating back to 7th – 13th centuries AH (12th – 19th centuries AD). The artifacts include objects of post-Mongol invasion of the eastern Islamic world in the 13th century, as well as a selective collection depicting the Ottoman, Safavid and Mughal civilizations, the three main competing empires that dominated the Islamic world at the time. It was also a period of increasing global trade, economic growth and fruitful, creative interaction between artistic, cultural and indeed religious communities.
Islamic Art Galleries 3-4
These galleries exhibit mainly Islamic arts, crafts and weapons used between 13th – 14th centuries AH (19th – 20th centuries AD). This period is characterized by the increasing influx of European ideas and products. Traditional markets, artisans and craftsmen now had serious competition from cheap, mass-produced goods brought in from the West. Traditional weapons continued to be popular among local populations and tourists alike. Now, they were used less in battle, but in ceremonial parades, as part of a man’s formal costume, as honorable gifts to dignitaries or indeed as collectible artifacts in their own right.
Islamic Coins Display
The museum’s outstanding early Islamic coin collections are displayed in the atrium outside the Al Majarrah Gallery. Visitors can learn about the history and emergence of these coins through these outstanding displays.
Seven free-standing displays and several computer touch screens provide additional numismatic information about the collection. There are more than 250 coins on display and the text material on the sides of the displays provide information about various coins.
- Islamic Coins
The Al Majarrah Temporary Exhibition Gallery
In this gallery, the museum hosts temporary world-class exhibitions twice a year in collaboration with other museums and institutions across the world like the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia and the Museum of Islamic Art in Berlin.
