everything to know about sharjah museum of islamic civilization

Finding your next trip to the most historic places in the world? Then "Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization" is the next destination that you need to cut off your bucket list. The Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization is one of the museums situated in the prestigious city of Sharjah and is one of the first museums which opened its heritage doors in the year 1996. This museum was later closed down for its first reformation after which it was opened up to the public in 2008. Meanwhile, all of its prominent collections were shifted to the building of the traditional Souq Al Majarrah. This was done according to the orders given out by his Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi. This newly opened museum consisted of about 5000 artefacts which gave a detailed explanation of the Islamic culture. Here you can see the history come alive through all of the previous Islamic artefacts which give out the courageous and timeless Islamic Civilization stories. The Islamic museum takes you through various aspects of science, discoveries, and culture all at one place. 

This new museum located right at the heart of Sharjah on the Corniche Street in Al Majarrah area, opposite the Sharjah creek, is one the places you can locate even from afar due to its majestic golden dome which is visible even from a mile away. The building which is now one of the historical places was one of the indoor markets also called Souq. 

The prominent amenity collection is now divided into 7 art galleries all with its own aspects and its own beauty. Out of these 7 art galleries, 6 of them are permanent while one of them is a temporary exhibition. 

1. Abu Bakr Gallery of Islamic Faith: A place to engage your soul into, this gallery exhibits the introduction to Islam and the Holy Quran. The gallery also exhibits the five pillars of Islam, the various important principles followed by the religion and also a descriptive account of hajj also known as a sacred Islamic pilgrimage. The various mosaic architecture around the world has also been explained in this gallery. While there's also a limited collection of Quran manuscripts, there are various models, facts, presentations for the tourists to understand the Islamic religion. There are also rare objects such as the Kiswah which is used as covering for the Kaaba in Mecca. 

2. The Ibn Al-Haytham Gallery of Science and Technology: This section covers the scientific achievements of the Islamic religion. It also gives a great description of the Islamic scholars and their accomplishments in the field of science and technology which led to an advancement in the world's heritage. The audiovisuals, 3d models, and various charts and representative articles make up this gallery which gives a vast idea of the contribution made by the Islamic scholars in various fields such as astronomy, architecture, medicine, and so on. 

3. Islamic art gallery 1: This gallery consists of the pottery work, the threadwork, wood carving, and other artefacts that were used at the beginning of the Islamic religion. The early period of when the Islamic culture was still being flourished from the Arabian Peninsula to the Atlantic and the borders of China has been depicted in this gallery. This gallery consists of other rare artefacts that date back to the 7th to 13th century AD. 

4. Islamic art gallery 2: This art gallery depicts the post-Mongol invasion of the Islamic world in the 13th century. It also depicts the Ottoman, Safavid, and the Mughal civilizations that were prevalent in the world at that time. This gallery has objects which date back to the 12th to 19th centuries AD. This was the period when there was much enhancement in the global trading and economy.there was also a greater accomplishment in the expansion of various artistic, cultural, and religious beliefs among the communities. 

5. Islamic art galleries- 3 and 4: These art galleries exhibit objects and artefacts which range through the 19th to 20th centuries AD. This era was marked by the influence of European ideas on Islamic customs and traditions. This era found a huge battle between the western cheaper products being sold and the craftsmen and artisans. Various traditional ways of food and style had now been impacted by the westerner traditions that had invaded. The traditional weapons were now popular among the people and now had only been used for the parades in ceremonies and for other displays. Some of the artefacts were also collected for their own interests. 

6. Al Majarrah temporary exhibition gallery: This gallery held exhibitions that were world-class and had a lot of tourists flooding in. This gallery held exhibitions twice a year which made it even more interesting and had the tourists curious about it. This gallery also showed some of the rare artefacts amongst others being displayed permanently. 

Some of the most interesting exhibits of the exhibition can be mentioned as follows

1. The Sitara: The Sitara also called the Al Burda is one of the silk embroidered cloth which was woven during the reign of King Fahd bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. This cloth which was then woven was kept in the museum for a display to the tourists and had attracted a lot of attention from the people as well. 

2. The mosaic dome: People from various parts of the world visit the museum to have a look at the mosaic dome which leaves you awestruck each time you take a look at it. This dome depicts the zodiac sign and gives out intricate details which keep you wanting to look at it again and again. The various zodiac signs and the astrological symbols associated with it have been embedded in the dome. Also, the central golden dome at the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization is one of the places that you'd definitely want to take a look at. 

3. Islamic coins: Coins from the early Islamic ages have been displayed which attracts a whole lot of people. It especially attracts coin collectors worldwide. These people come in to take a look at the intricate design and the traditional craftsmanship involved in making the coins. These coins include Ummayads, Abbasid dinars, and dirhams which have been kept for display. 

4. The copper and silver inlaid Neo-Mamluk table or stand: This table or stand is one that was presented to Al Nasir Muhammad Qalawun in the early 1400s. A replica of this stand is kept in the gallery for tourist display. The original is still being kept in the museum of Islamic art in Cairo. The table kept in the museum in Sharjah is an absolutely beautiful replica of the original one that you can see which was made in the 19th century. 

Travel tips for the tourists visiting Sharjah

Worried about when and how to go? then you might just want to read these 5 tips to improve your chances to go to Sharjah at the right time: 

1. Clothing: Appearance is one of the factors you need to be careful about while visiting Sharjah. While having a good time in Sharjah you need to remember that any type of provoking dress will not be tolerated. This not only applies to women but also men who would wear shorts while walking around or jogging. 

2. Shopping objects: The things you shop here are sure to be of a low cost and of high quality at the same time. So don't you worry about getting a hole in your pocket. You'll definitely find a product that you'd like at a much reasonable rate and all at a reasonable price. While bargaining will also increase your chances of getting things at a cost as low as 30 per cent off from the original price. 

3. Litter: Littering around will cost you a heavy fine and which is why you don't really want to dirty the streets. Sharjah being a clean city has always had strict rules regarding littering around. There are public sanitary and other dustbin boxes kept at various places so you can discard the waste in a proper way. 

4. Alcohol: To those who like partying and clubbing, this place is not really for you. Even though you might find some small clubs in the city, the chances of finding a liquor shop here in Sharjah will be hard due to religious reasons. There are hardly or no hookah parlours as well. So you probably need to make up your mind regarding alcohol while visiting Sharjah. 

5. Food: While you'll find almost all types of international delicacies in Sharjah, you'd also want to discover some of the regional famous food ranging from the famous falafel to kebabs. They use all sorts of meat except pork as it goes against the Muslim culture. You'd also want to try the shawarma which has gained high popularity around the world for its exquisite taste and is being eaten as a snack at almost all of the regions in Sharjah.