The Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization is a museum in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE). The museum, opened in 2008, covers Islamic culture, with more than 5,000 artifacts from the Islamic world. [1] Objects include calligraphy, carvings, ceramics, coins, glass, manuscripts, metalwork, and scientific instruments. It was formerly known as the Islamic Museum and opened in 1996 before being moved and re-housed in the current building. [2]
The museum is located on the Corniche Street in the Al Majarrah area, on the opposite side of the street from Sharjah Creek. It is openly visible because of its large size and characteristic golden dome. [3] The museum is situated in the historical centre of Sharjah on the Majarrah Waterfront, in a building originally constructed as a souq (indoor market). [4]
Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi, a member of the Supreme Council of the UAE and ruler of Sharjah, inaugurated the museum on 5 June 2008. [5] It celebrated its tenth birthday in November 2018, with an exhibition titled "Crossroads: Cultural Exchange between the Islamic Civilization, Europe and Beyond", mounted in co-operation with the Museum of Islamic Art, Berlin. [6]
The museum displays over five thousand Islamic artifacts which have been collected globally and displayed in seven thematic galleries, [7] six of them dedicated to housing permanent exhibitions.
A gallery dedicated to the history and nature of Islam, the Abu Bakr Gallery of Islamic Faith, displays, among other objects, a copy of the Quran of the third Caliph, Uthman ibn Affan, who ruled from 644–656 AD. Alongside rare objects such as this and a Kiswa, the covering used for the Kaaba in Mecca, are early black and white images of Sharjah citizens embarking on the then arduous Haj pilgrimage. [8]
A gallery devoted to the history of Islamic science, technology and innovation, the Ibn Al-Haytham Gallery of Science and Technology, includes displays showing Islamic scientific advancements, including complex early clocks, navigational aids and weapons. Four further galleries display Islamic art through the ages, [9] as well as displays of modest fashion and contemporary pieces.
Displays along the central boulevard include cases of Islamic coins as well as clocks and other items.
A seventh gallery houses temporary exhibitions, with a regular roster of displays co-curated with other museums, ranging from Ottoman Masterpieces from the Museum of Applied Arts in Budapest to Persian calligraphy from the Islamic Arts Museum of Malaysia. [10] [11]
The museum features prayer rooms, a cafeteria, a souvenir shop, spacious parking, rest rooms and has facilities and wheel chair access for the disabled. [12]
The Emirate of Sharjah is one of the emirates of the United Arab Emirates, which covers 2,590 square kilometres (1,000 sq mi) and has a population of over 1,400,000 (2015). It comprises the capital city of Sharjah, after which it is named, and other minor towns and exclaves such as Kalba', Al Dhaid, Dibba Al-Hisn and Khor Fakkan.
The Sabancı University Sakıp Sabancı Museum is a private fine arts museum in Istanbul, Turkey, dedicated to calligraphic art, religious and state documents, as well as paintings of the Ottoman era. The museum was founded by Sakıp Sabancı, and was opened in June 2002. Aside from permanent exhibitions, the museum also hosts national and foreign temporary exhibitions and, hosts cultural events on the weekends.
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Sharjah is the third-most populous city in the United Arab Emirates, after Dubai and Abu Dhabi. It is the capital of the Emirate of Sharjah and forms part of the Dubai-Sharjah-Ajman metropolitan area.
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The Sharjah Museums Authority (SMA), formerly named Sharjah Museums Department (SMD), is a government agency in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
The Sharjah Art Museum is an art museum in the city of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. It was housed in Bait Al Serkal in Al Shuwaihean Area. It is one of the leading art institutions in the Persian Gulf region.
Ibrahim Bin Yousuf Al Hasan Al Fakhro is a Qatari writer, businessman and art collector. He authored a book entitled “Arabic Calligraphy and Quran, A shared journey” in 2015. He also held several exhibitions regarding Arabic calligraphy, Islamic Art, and the life of Muhammad. He is currently vice-chairman of the Middle East Facility Management Association.
Amasya Museum, also known as Archaeological Museum of Amasya, is a national museum in Amasya, northern Turkey, exhibiting archaeological artifacts found in and around the city as well as ethnographic items related to the region's history of cultural life. Established in 1958, the museum owns nearly twenty-four thousand items for exhibition belonging to eleven historic civilizations.
Barjeel Art Foundation is a non-profit arts organisation based in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. The foundation was established in 2010 by Emirati commentator Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi to manage and exhibit his personal art collection. There are over 1,000 pieces of modern and contemporary art in the foundation's art collection. The organisation primarily focuses on artwork produced by Arab artists worldwide and includes paintings, sculptures and installations.
Mouneer Al-Shaarani is a Syrian graphic artist specialized in Arabic calligraphy. Al-Shaarani is known as calligrapher, graphic designer and author of articles about Arabic calligraphy and Arab Islamic art. He has designed several Arabic typefaces for book covers or other graphic creations. His work has been exhibited in several Arab countries, Malaysia, Europe, Australia and the United States and is internationally presented in collections of contemporary Arabic art. Between 1985 and 2007, he lived and worked in Cairo, Egypt, and later returned to live in Damascus.
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