# Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization > The Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization fills a former covered souk on the Corniche, under a gilded dome: seven galleries on faith, science and 1,400 years of Islamic art. Entry is AED 10, AED 5 for ages 2–12. Open Saturday–Thursday 8:00–20:00, Friday 16:00–20:00. Allow 1.5–2 hours. Web page: https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/sharjah/museum-of-islamic-civilization - City: [Sharjah](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/sharjah), United Arab Emirates - YesGo score: 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h 30 min - Entry: AED 10, children 2–12 AED 5 - With kids: Fine with kids - Adults (13+): AED 10 - Children 2–12: AED 5; under 2 free - Free entry: 60+ and visitors with disabilities, each with one companion; all of Ramadan, 18 May, 2–3 December - Hours: Sat–Thu 8:00–20:00, Fri 16:00–20:00 - Ramadan: Sat–Thu 9:00–14:00 and 21:00–23:00 (no evening session in the last 10 days), closed Friday - Closed: 29–30 Ramadan, first day of Eid al-Fitr, Arafat Day, first day of Eid al-Adha - Where to buy: At the desk or the Sharjah Museums Authority online shop - Photos: For personal use, no flash - From Dubai: RTA buses E303, E306, E307 to Al Jubail, then ≈ 5 min by taxi - Address: Corniche Street, Al Majarrah, facing Sharjah Creek - Coordinates: 25.36492, 55.38922 - Facts checked: 03.11.2026 ## Key facts - **5,000+** — objects: manuscripts, ceramics, coins, astrolabes (source: English Wikipedia; The National) - **7 galleries** — over two floors: faith, science, and art by era (source: Sharjah Museums Authority; English Wikipedia) - **12 signs** — of the zodiac and the night sky in the mosaic under the central dome (source: Gulf News; The National) - **2008** — the museum opened in its current building (source: Sharjah Museums Authority; English Wikipedia) - **1987** — the building opened as Souq Al Majarrah (source: Sharjah Museums Authority; Gulf News (on the souk)) - **1996** — Sharjah's first Islamic Museum opened in the Heritage Area (source: Sharjah Museums Authority; English Wikipedia) - **Kiswa** — a section of the Kaaba's covering, in the Islamic Faith gallery (source: English Wikipedia; The National) - **Ibn Al Haitham** — gives his name to the science and technology gallery (source: Sharjah Museums Authority; English Wikipedia) - **Coins** — from across the Islamic world, shown in the atrium (source: Sharjah Museums Authority; The National) - **16 museums** — run by the Sharjah Museums Authority, this one included (source: Sharjah Museums Authority; The 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. > **Fridays: afternoon opening only** On Fridays the doors don't open until 16:00, so don't plan a Friday morning visit. In Ramadan the museum opens 9:00–14:00 and 21:00–23:00 and is closed on Fridays — but entry is free all month. It is also closed on 29–30 Ramadan, the first day of Eid al-Fitr, Arafat Day and the first day of Eid al-Adha. ## How to get to the Museum of Islamic Civilization 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](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/sharjah/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](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/sharjah/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 - [ ] It's not a Friday morning, and I've checked for Ramadan hours - [ ] Allowed 1.5–2 hours for the galleries and the dome - [ ] nol card topped up, if I'm taking the bus from Dubai - [ ] Shoulders and knees covered — the norm in Sharjah - [ ] A few dirhams in cash for the taxi - [ ] Rain Room slot booked, if I'm going there too ## Museum, Al Hisn Fort or Rain Room? | | Museum of Islamic Civilization | Al Hisn Fort | Rain Room | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | Islamic faith, science and art | The rulers' fort of 1823, now a city history museum | Installation: rain that stops above you | | Ticket | AED 10, children AED 5 | AED 10, children AED 5 | Own ticket, timed slot | | Sat–Thu | 8:00–20:00 | 8:00–20:00 | 9:00–21:00 | | Friday | 16:00–20:00 | 16:00–20:00 | 16:00–22:00 | | Time needed | 1.5–2 h | ≈ 1 h | 10–15 min session | | From the museum | — | 10–15 min walk | 5–7 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. - [Blue Souk (Central Souq)](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/sharjah/blue-souk) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free entry - [Sharjah Fort (Al Hisn)](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/sharjah/sharjah-fort) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · AED 10 · 5-museum ticket AED 20 - [Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/sharjah/museum-of-islamic-civilization) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · AED 10, children 2–12 AED 5 - [Mleiha](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/sharjah/mleiha) — YesGo score 19/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · AED 25, kids AED 15 ## 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. 1. [Sharjah Fort (Al Hisn)](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/sharjah/sharjah-fort) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · AED 10 · 5-museum ticket AED 20 2. [Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/sharjah/museum-of-islamic-civilization) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · AED 10, children 2–12 AED 5 3. [Rain Room](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/sharjah/rain-room) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · AED 25, under 5 free 4. [Blue Souk (Central Souq)](https://yesgo.io/united-arab-emirates/sharjah/blue-souk) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free entry ## Good to know Not to be confused with the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, the Islamic Arts Museum in Kuala Lumpur or the new Islamic Civilization Centre in Tashkent. Sharjah's Calligraphy and Heritage museums are separate, in the Heritage Area, and sit on the joint ticket — this museum doesn't. ## Tips - 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. ## How we checked Hours, 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. ## Sources - 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) --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.