10 Tourist Attractions in Sharjah
Sharjah is the arts capital of the United Arab Emirates, and efforts to preserve area history garnered the title of Cultural Capital of the Arab World by UNESCO in 1998. For museum and art lovers, Sharjah is crammed full of excellent sightseeing opportunities. The Art Museum is world-renowned, while the Heritage Area is full of interesting buildings dedicated to Emirati history.
This is also a wonderfully family-friendly destination, with lots to keep the kids amused including the Natural History Museum and Desert Park, where petting animals are the biggest attraction for most children, and the fun-packed exhibits at the Science Museum.
1.Sharjah Arts Museum
Many artworks are by 18th century by painters
who visited the Middle East and became fascinated
by the natural environment, architecture and culture. The Ali Darwish gallery
contains his watercolours of Sharjah. The contemporary section consists of over
300 works by local, Arab and foreign artists. If you're an art-lover on a
weekend stopover in Dubai, don't miss a trip here.
Hours: Sat-Thu 8am-8pm, Fri 4pm-8pm
Admission: Entry Free Official site: http://www.sharjahmuseums.ae/Inner-Pages/Our-Museums/Sharjah-Art-Museum.aspx?lang=en-us
2.Central Market
Sharjah's Central Market is the city's most famous landmark. The intricate blue tile work on the exterior has given it the nickname the Blue Souk. There are over 600 shops inside, where shoppers will find sections devoted to gold and jewellery, perfume, clothing, food, electronics and gift-type items. The upper floor has the atmosphere of an authentic Arabian bazaar with vendors selling antiques, carpets, Omani and Yemeni jewellery and all sorts of other exotic souvenirs.
Hours: Open Sat-Thu 9am-1pm and 4pm-11pm, Fri 9am-noon and 4pm-11pm
Location: Khaled Lagoon
3.Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation
3.Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation
Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation is a good place to
dive into the deep roots of Arab and Islamic culture. A number of scientific
and religious manuscripts as well as a collection of Islamic arts and craftwork
are on display. Features of particular note include the exhibit of clay,
pottery and glass as well as metallic handicrafts inlaid with silver, gold and
brass. The collection holds items dating back to the Abbasid and Omayyad eras,
including a coin collection of silver dinars and dirhams.
Hours: Sat-Thu 8am-8pm, Fri 4pm-8pm
Admission: Adult 5AED, Families 10AED
Official site: http://www.sharjahmuseums.ae/Inner-Pages/Our-Museums/Sharjah-Museum-of-Islamic-Civilization.aspx
4.Sharjah Natural History Museum and Desert Park
Sharjah's Natural
History Museum and Desert Park is a great place for children to learn about the
flora and fauna of the Arabian Desert. In the Children's Farm, kids can get up close and personal with the farm
animals, while the various desert habitats of the United Arab Emirates are
depicted in the Diorama Hall. The Geology
Hall tells
the story of life on earth with an audio visual presentation explaining earthquakes,
volcanic eruptions and tectonic plate drift. In the Botany Sectionoutside, a desert
habitat has been recreated.
5.Souks
Sharjah's Souk
Area is
an excellent way to experience the bustle of traditional Arabian shopping. The Fish
Souk is
a stinky and busy mix of noise and colour, while the Fruit
and Vegetable Souk is
always crowded with vendors shouting out their prices and customers bargaining
for good deals. It's a great chance to capture some vibrant photos of Sharjah
life.
6.Sharjah Maritime Museum
As a settlement Sharjah has always been linked closely to
the water, and the Maritime Museum highlights the importance of the sea
in the city's development. There are interesting exhibits on traditional wooden
dhows, pearl collecting and fishing - all once important to the economy here.
Next-door is Sharjah Aquarium where a wide variety of sea life can
be seen.
Hours: Open Sat-Thu 8am-8pm, Fri 4pm-8pm
Admission: Adults 8AED, Child (4-17) 4AED
7.Sharjah Archaeology Museum
Sharjah Archaeology Museum has exhibits tracing the wide arcing
history of humanity in the area. Displays in the Stone Age section include
numerous flint pieces reflecting the technology of that period, and old
seashells which were a source of food. There are also ornamental gems and
pottery shards from the Obaid period that were found in Al Hamriyah and confirm
the trade exchange of this age with Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq).
The Bronze Age Hall features archaeological finds of
pottery, metals, stone and jewellery. The museum has done a good job of making
its exhibits user-friendly and children will be kept entertained by a variety
of hands-on games.
Hours:
Sat and Mon-Thu 8am-8pm, Fri 4pm-8pm
Admission:
Adults 5AED, Families 10AED
8.Sharjah Heritage Area
The Sharjah
Heritage Area is a combination of several museums
that include the Sharjah Heritage Museum, Souk Al Arsah, Al Midfaa House, Al
Hisn Sharjah and Hisn Fort. Souk
Al Arsah is a large open courtyard souk,
restored in its traditional style that now includes a number of different shops
featuring silver and wooden handicrafts, jewellery, traditional garments and
beauty products.
Bait Al Naboodah is a traditional family house once home to the Al-Shamsi
family. Comprised of 16 rooms, it has been converted into the Sharjah Heritage Museum. Each room has a different aspect
of Emirati culture, such as traditional clothing. Al Midfaa House is the restored family home of Al
Midfaa - a prominent figure in Sharjah and theUnited Arab Emirates. The exhibits here
cover literature and culture of the region. Al Hisn Fort was the traditional residence of the
ruling family of Sharjah. The fort was built 200 years ago and served as a
defensive facility for the town. Exhibits feature the history of Sharjah
through themed displays in each room.
Hours: Sat-Thu 8am-8pm, Fri 4pm-8pm
Admission: Adults 5AED, Families 10AED
9.Sharjah Science Museum
The Sharjah Science Museum is the only interactive hands-on
museum in the United Arab Emirates. The Exhibition Hall includes
state-of-the-art elements, which have been designed to get children interested
in science. Visitors can test their flexibility, grip strength and balance, make
a cartoon, use a music synthesizer, build a puzzle of the human body or visit
Playspace (which caters to younger children). The on-site Planetarium takes visitors on a tour of the
universe, from the Sharjah sky to deep space.
Hours:
Open Sun-Thu 8am-6pm, Fri-Sat 4pm-8pm
Admission:
Adults 10AED, Child 5AED
10 Kalba
The most southerly village in the United Arab
Emirates, Kalba is a quaint fishing village with a
lively fresh produce and fish market on the seashore. It's a charming place for
a stroll that's worth the trip for the Al-Hisn Museum (built as a fort 200 years ago) and
the fully restored House of Sheikh Saeed bin Hamad Al-Qassimi with its displays of musical
instruments and traditional furniture.
Just south of the village is the Khor
Kalba Conservation Reserve,containing the most northerly mangrove forest in
the world. This is a bird-watcher's paradise, especially during spring and
autumn migrations. Visitors can spot the rare white-collared kingfishers that
breed here as well as reef herons and booted warblers. Trips to the reserve are
by hired boat or canoe.
11. Al
Qasba
The suburb of Al Qasba in
Sharjah is home to plenty of entertainment options, but its most famous feature
is the big wheel known as the Eye of the Emirates. A ride gives you a soaring perspective over the city.
12.Khor Fakkan
Khor Fakkan is the second largest
town on the east coast. Although the main feature of town is the thriving and
less-than-picturesque container port, the surrounding area is a top spot for
divers and has some interesting attractions nearby. Shark
Island is a famous diving
spot with many sites in the coral outcroppings. A popular sightseeing spot is
the Rifaisa
Dam, tucked away in the inland mountains. The dam was built over a village
and the tops of the houses are visible when there is a lack of rain.
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