The Islamic Museum of Sharjah was first inaugurated in the Heritage Area on November 6, 1996. This museum was then transformed, under the direction of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, to the traditional Souq Al Majarrah (opened as a souq in 1987). The museum itself was then re-opened under the name “Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization” on June 6, 2008, after transferring the collections of artifacts from the previous museum building to the new state-of-the-art complex.
Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization is located on the old Corniche of Sharjah, a beautiful place very close to Sharjah Gold Souq and Souq Al Jubail. It has over five thousand Islamic artifacts on display, which have been collected globally and displayed in seven thematic galleries, six of which are dedicated to housing permanent exhibitions. It covers the history and nature of Islam, the history of Islamic science and innovations, the spreading of Islam throughout the world, and a large gallery of coins, clocks, and other items.
There is also a gallery that houses temporary world-class exhibitions, with a regular roster of displays co-curated with other museums.
