The cafeteria at the museum is well-equipped for serving
the visitors with fast food and cold/hot drinks. Visitors
can also take rest in private halls in the 1st and 2nd
floors suitable also for their minor cultural conversations.
At a time nearly 80 cars can park in the underground
car parking. Utmost importance is given to the security
of the museum with full time protection arrangements.
All halls, doors and passages are monitored through
cameras which are linked to a special supervision
room. The police units guarantee the direct guarding
of the museum throughout the year, and the museum
is insured against fire and equipped with a direct
warning system linked with the central operations
of Sharjah police.
Permanent exhibitions
The museum includes 8 sets of collections donated
by H.H.Shaikh Dr.Sultan bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, the
Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.
Most of these works are from European orientalists
who painted the Arab Orient. These collections help
in depicting the area in the past periods, which refreshes
the architectural memory, the shape of cities, kinds
of fashions and the state of Arabian cities. They
are divided in to two categories :(a) orientalist
portraying works, (b) printed works.
Collection of H.H. Shaikh
Dr Sultan bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme
Council & Ruler of Sharjah :
Group-1:
This group includes 19 art works ( 10 oil paintings,
7 water colour paintings, 2 lithographs). All works
are creations of the 18th century orientalist artists
who visited the Middle East area and were fascinated
by its natural environment, exotic architecture and
the dynamic activities and people in their distinguished
fashions with splendid colours, lights and charming
nature.
Group-2
12 lithographs with limited reproductions, created
by the famous 18th century orientalist and engraver
David Robert who has an outstanding skill in this
field. These works bring out the excellent architecture
and the markets with full of goods and which in general
represent panoramic pictures of life in the Arabian
cities in the 18th century.
Group-3
A set of 13 lithographs, depicting the Qasimi resistance
of the British occupation forces and their fleet in
Ras Al Khaimiah. These works are a documentary series
for these battles and they are considered as documents
of great historical value.
Group-4
The group consists of 12 water colour paintings created
by artist Ali Darwish, which depicts Sharjah's historical
areas including the towers, forts and castles.
Group-5
It consists of 8 water colour paintings created by
artist Ali Darwish depicting the old avenues, various
areas of Sharjah and the marine environment in a unique
style.
Group-6
It consists of 10 water colour paintings: 5 depicting
the landscapes of Sharjah by John Harris, and the
other 5 are pencil and water colour works created
by A.Richard, in which he brings out fishing, boat
building and old markets.
Group-7
It consists of 9 paintings, 5 of which are in acrylic
colours created by artist T.T.Gilbert, depicting boat
building, fishermen, fishing harbours and the famous
Al-Rolla square and Al-Dhaid fort. The other four
paintings are created by the artists J.C.Fraser (coffee
serving), Karoline Jackson (old souk in Sharjah),
Akira Fujisawa (wedding night in Sharjah) and Abdul
Qader Al Rais (wind towers of Sharjah).
Group-8
This group consists of 125 reproductions of lithographs.
They depict old Arabian cities, important sites in
the Holy land and landmarks from Lebanon, Syria and
Yemen. These works are created by 18th century orientalists
and they constitute research and study authority for
the state of Arabs in that period.
Contemporary Exhibits
It consists over 300 art works of different categories
created by several local, Arab and foreign artists,
which includes the prize-winning art works of the
Sharjah International Arts Biennial sessions and works
collected from various exhibitions conducted at the
museum during the past years.
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