Sharjah Art Museum - History, Timings & Entry Fee

At a distance of 17 km from Sharjah International Airport and 17 km from Dubai International Airport, the Sharjah Art Museum is an art museum in the city of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. It is the largest art museum in the United Arab Emirates and among the top places to visit in Sharjah during your Dubai Trip.

Initially, the Sharjah Art Museum was opened in 1995 in the splendid 19th century Bait Al Serkal mansion in Al Shuwaihean Area of Sharjah. Two years later, a new building was established for the museum under the patronage of HH Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi, the Ruler of Sharjah. It was inaugurated on 9th April 1997 during the 3rd Sharjah Biennial, as the first dedicated art museum in the Gulf. Its opening was perhaps one of the catalysts behind the city being named as the UNESCO Cultural Capital of the Arab world in 1998, the first Gulf Arab city to achieve such a distinction. The second dedicated art museum in the Gulf opened eight years later in Kuwait in 2003.

Designed by British architect Brian Johnson, the museum building has 68 halls of various sizes and a total area of about 11,000 sq. m. This museum is a perfect place for art lovers where one can relish the Arab culture and heritage through impressive artwork. The major focus of the museum is to portray the art of the Arab world. There are other artworks by 18th-century painters who were inspired by the culture, architecture, and environment of the Middle East on their visit.

The museum houses a permanent collection and a section of temporary exhibits. The permanent collection features impressive artwork from the Ruler of Sharjah, Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qassimi's collection. The artworks present sceneries from Egypt, Turkey, Syria, Palestine, Morocco, and other countries as they were depicted by European artists and travelers in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. More than 300 artworks by Arabs, locals, and foreigners are exhibited in the contemporary section.

The Sharjah Art Museum hosts temporary exhibitions of modern and contemporary art and is the venue of Sharjah's regular exhibitions - Sharjah Biennial, Islamic Arts Festival, Emirates Fine Arts Society Annual Exhibition, Children's Art Biennial. Other activities of the museum include organizing exchange exhibitions in coordination with art museums and other such cultural establishments and implementing various programs organized by the Department of Culture and Information in coordination with the Art Directorate and the Emirates Fine Arts Society. The Art library at the museum, which supports the study, teaching, and research, is also well equipped with books, periodicals, and other relevant printed materials and materials in electronic format.

Timings: 8 AM - 8 PM from Saturday - Thursday & 4 PM - 8 PM on Friday

Entry: Free