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Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization

Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization: striped stone façade and golden dome on the Corniche
Photo: Shahana Shamsuddin, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

The essentials in 10 seconds

Entry
AED 10, children 2–12 AED 5
Hours
Sat–Thu 8:00–20:00, Fri 16:00–20:00
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Time on site
A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes.
1 h 30 min
With kids
Fine with kids
Adults (13+)
AED 10
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Children 2–12
AED 5; under 2 free
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Free entry
60+ and visitors with disabilities, each with one companion; all of Ramadan, 18 May, 2–3 December
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Ramadan
Sat–Thu 9:00–14:00 and 21:00–23:00 (no evening session in the last 10 days), closed Friday
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Closed
29–30 Ramadan, first day of Eid al-Fitr, Arafat Day, first day of Eid al-Adha
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Where to buy
At the desk or the Sharjah Museums Authority online shop
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Photos
For personal use, no flash
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
From Dubai
RTA buses E303, E306, E307 to Al Jubail, then ≈ 5 min by taxi
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Address
Corniche Street, Al Majarrah, facing Sharjah Creek
Coordinates
25.36492, 55.38922YesGo MapGoogleApple

Key facts

5,000+objects: manuscripts, ceramics, coins, astrolabes
2 sourcesEnglish WikipediaThe National
7 galleriesover two floors: faith, science, and art by era
2 sourcesSharjah Museums AuthorityEnglish Wikipedia
12 signsof the zodiac and the night sky in the mosaic under the central dome
2 sourcesGulf NewsThe National
2008the museum opened in its current building
2 sourcesSharjah Museums AuthorityEnglish Wikipedia
1987the building opened as Souq Al Majarrah
2 sourcesSharjah Museums AuthorityGulf News (on the souk)
1996Sharjah's first Islamic Museum opened in the Heritage Area
2 sourcesSharjah Museums AuthorityEnglish Wikipedia
Kiswaa section of the Kaaba's covering, in the Islamic Faith gallery
2 sourcesEnglish WikipediaThe National
Ibn Al Haithamgives his name to the science and technology gallery
2 sourcesSharjah Museums AuthorityEnglish Wikipedia
Coinsfrom across the Islamic world, shown in the atrium
2 sourcesSharjah Museums AuthorityThe National
16 museumsrun by the Sharjah Museums Authority, this one included
2 sourcesSharjah Museums AuthorityThe National

Tickets and opening hours

Adults (13 and over) pay AED 10, children aged 2–12 pay AED 5, and under-2s are free. Visitors aged 60+ and people with disabilities get in free with one companion each, as do school and university groups and ICOM card holders. Everyone gets in free throughout Ramadan, on International Museum Day (18 May) and on UAE National Day (2–3 December).

Hours are 8:00–20:00 Saturday to Thursday and 16:00–20:00 on Friday. Buy at the desk or through the Sharjah Museums Authority online shop; there is no need to book ahead, as queues are rare. Cards are the norm in the UAE, but carry a few dirhams in cash for taxis, where card readers aren't guaranteed.

The AED 20 Sharjah heritage joint ticket (Sharjah Fort, Heritage Museum, Calligraphy Museum, Bait Al Naboodah, Al Qasimia School) does not cover this museum — you need a separate ticket here.

How to get to the Museum of Islamic Civilization

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Where are you starting from?

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On foot

More tips

  1. From the old centre at Al Hisn Fort (Heart of Sharjah), head to the waterfront and walk north-east along Corniche Street — about 750 m, 10–15 minutes.
  2. From Dubai by public transport: RTA buses E303 (from Union), E306 (from Al Ghubaiba) or E307 (from Deira City Centre) run to Al Jubail bus station in Sharjah. They take a nol card only — no cash on board; the fare is around AED 12 (unofficial).
  3. From Al Jubail it's about 2 km along the Corniche: 25–30 minutes on foot, or roughly 5 minutes by taxi — the better choice in the heat.
  4. A taxi from Dubai is door to door, but evening traffic leaving Dubai can double the journey. Ask for “Museum of Islamic Civilization, Corniche, Al Majarrah”.
  5. Afterwards, walk 400 m to the Rain Room — they fit into one stroll.

What to see inside

  • Abu Bakr Gallery of Islamic Faith on the ground floor: Quran manuscripts, calligraphy, astronomical instruments for finding the direction of prayer and a section of the Kiswa, the embroidered covering of the Kaaba.
  • Ibn Al Haitham Gallery of Science and Technology: astrolabes, celestial globes, navigation, medicine and mathematics.
  • The zodiac dome on the top floor — a mosaic of the night sky and the 12 signs. Stand underneath and look straight up.
  • Art galleries by era upstairs: ceramics, metalwork, textiles, manuscripts and arms, from the first to the fourteenth century of the Hijri calendar.
  • Islamic coins in the atrium outside the temporary exhibition hall.
  • Al Majarrah Gallery for temporary exhibitions — check what's on when you visit.

Is the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization worth it?

Yes, if Islamic art, science or calligraphy interest you at all: it is one of the strongest museums on the subject in the UAE, compact enough for two hours, and costs a fraction of a Dubai attraction. The building alone — striped stone, arches, the gilded dome — justifies the walk along the Corniche.

Coming from Dubai just for this is harder to justify: allow about an hour each way, more in traffic. Make it half a day instead — Al Hisn Fort, the museum, the Rain Room and the Corniche. Skip it with toddlers who need screens and buttons: it's mostly display cases. The Sharjah Aquarium, run by the same authority, suits them better.

From souk to museum

The building was put up as a covered market, Souq Al Majarrah, which opened in 1987. In 2008 it was converted, and Sharjah's earlier Islamic Museum — opened in 1996 in the Heritage Area — moved in with a reworked collection of more than 5,000 objects.

The route runs from faith and science on the ground floor to a chronological walk through Islamic art upstairs, from the first to the fourteenth century of the Hijri calendar. The museum sits on Corniche Street facing Sharjah Creek, in the Heart of Sharjah old quarter.

Before you go: checklist

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Museum, Al Hisn Fort or Rain Room?

Museum of Islamic Civilizationyou are hereIslamic faith, science and artAED 10, children AED 58:00–20:0016:00–20:001.5–2 h—
Al Hisn FortThe rulers' fort of 1823, now a city history museumAED 10, children AED 58:00–20:0016:00–20:00≈ 1 h10–15 min walk
Rain RoomInstallation: rain that stops above youOwn ticket, timed slot9:00–21:0016:00–22:0010–15 min session5–7 min walk

With half a day in Sharjah, the museum is the one to prioritise — it has the most to see. Add the fort and the Rain Room if you have an hour to spare.

Historic Sharjah compared

Every historic site in Sharjah rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.

Blue Souk (Central Souq)421 hFree36 min walk
Sharjah Fort (Al Hisn)391 hAED 10 · 5-museum ticket AED 2013 min walk
Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilizationyou are here361 h 30 minAED 10, children 2–12 AED 5—
Mleiha193 hAED 25, kids AED 1554.1 km

Old Sharjah in half a day

The rulers' fort, the museum under the golden dome, the Rain Room and the Blue Souk on the lagoon. Add them to your route in one tap — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.

  1. Sharjah Fort (Al Hisn)1 h · AED 10 · 5-museum ticket AED 20
  2. 13 min walk from the previous stopSharjah Museum of Islamic Civilizationyou are here1 h 30 min · AED 10, children 2–12 AED 5
  3. 7 min walk from the previous stopRain Room30 min · AED 25, under 5 free
  4. 40 min walk from the previous stopBlue Souk (Central Souq)1 h · Free entry

4 places · about 5 h with walks · 60 min on foot in total

Go · my route

Nearby — add to your day

Rain Room

Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

30 min · AED 25, under 5 free · 7 min walk

Sharjah Fort (Al Hisn)

Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

1 h · AED 10 · 5-museum ticket AED 20 · 13 min walk

Blue Souk (Central Souq)

Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

1 h · Free entry · 36 min walk

How to do it right

  • Start upstairs under the zodiac dome before tour groups arrive, then work down to the faith and science galleries.
  • Come on a weekday morning: doors open at 8:00, while it's still cool enough for the walk to the fort.
  • In Ramadan entry is free and the museum stays open until 23:00 — a cooler time for the Corniche walk.
  • Aged 60 or over? You and one companion get in free — bring ID.
  • Walk 400 m on to the Rain Room afterwards — book your slot in advance.
  • The best shot of the dome and façade is from the water side of Corniche Street.

Questions

How much is the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization ticket?

AED 10 for adults (13+), AED 5 for children aged 2–12, and free for under-2s. Entry is free for everyone throughout Ramadan, on 18 May and on 2–3 December.

What are the opening hours?

Saturday to Thursday 8:00–20:00, Friday 16:00–20:00. In Ramadan: 9:00–14:00 and 21:00–23:00, closed on Fridays.

Is the museum open on Friday?

Yes, but only from 16:00 to 20:00. During Ramadan it's closed on Fridays.

How do I get there from Dubai?

Take RTA bus E303, E306 or E307 to Al Jubail in Sharjah (nol card only), then a 5-minute taxi. A taxi from Dubai is direct but slow at rush hour.

Where is the museum?

On Corniche Street in Al Majarrah, facing Sharjah Creek in the old centre — a 10–15 minute walk from Al Hisn Fort and 400 m from the Rain Room.

How long do you need?

1.5–2 hours for all seven galleries and the dome. Short on time? An hour covers the faith and science galleries and the dome.

Can you take photos inside?

According to unofficial sources, yes, in most galleries, without flash. Some temporary exhibitions have their own rules.

Is there a dress code?

The museum publishes no dress code of its own, but Sharjah is more conservative than Dubai: cover your shoulders and knees.

Is it good for kids?

For school-age children, yes: it's cheap, and the astrolabes and starry dome hold their attention. Toddlers will find the display cases dull.

Have you been? Was it worth your time?

1 — no, 5 — absolutely

Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.

Sources and fact-check

  • Sharjah Museums Authority: Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization page — hours, prices, free days, closures, galleries and history, 03.11.2026
  • Sharjah Museums Authority: Sharjah Fort (Al Hisn) and Calligraphy Museum pages — hours, prices, joint ticket, 03.11.2026
  • English Wikipedia: Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization; Wikidata Q7489771
  • The National, 24.07.2026 — collection, dome and Kiswa
  • Gulf News — A peep into the past at Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation
  • Rain Room, Sharjah Art Foundation — hours and session length
  • Dubicars, UAE Inform, Property Finder — Dubai–Sharjah buses (unofficial)
YesGo editorial team · facts checked 03.11.2026 ·
How we checkedHours, prices, free categories, closures, gallery names and the 1987, 1996 and 2008 dates come from the official Sharjah Museums Authority page. The collection size, the Kiswa and the dome mosaic are checked against at least two sources. The opening day differs — the authority says 6 June 2008, Wikipedia 5 June — so we give only the year. The National calls the building an early-20th-century souk, the official site a souk opened in 1987; we follow the official site. The Dubai–Sharjah bus fare and the photo rules are unofficial. The online ticket shop didn't load when we checked. We found no closure of the museum in 2026.

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