Sharjah Museums Authority

What Sharjah Museums Authority does

Sharjah Museums Authority is a government cultural authority operating under the direction of the Ruler of Sharjah, established in 1997 with the opening of Sharjah Archaeology Museum as its first institution. The Authority oversees 16 museums across Sharjah and the UAE's east coast, spanning Islamic civilisation, arts, culture, heritage, science, archaeology, marine life, aviation, classic automobiles, and the regional history of Sharjah and the broader region. Its portfolio includes flagship institutions such as the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation, Sharjah Art Museum, Sharjah Aquarium, Sharjah Maritime Museum, Sharjah Heritage Museum, Sharjah Fort Museum (Al Hisn), and Hisn Khorfakkan, among others.

The Authority generates revenue through ticket sales (individual and joint tickets covering multiple museums), venue rental for private events and birthday celebrations, gift shop merchandise, and publication sales including the 'Museums in the MENA Region' academic journal. Supporting the core museum operations, the Authority offers educational programming including SAWA Museums Studies, the Ambassadors Program, Happy Holiday Camps, internships, research collaborations, downloadable interactive learning materials, and free downloadable activity worksheets. Visitor services include online ticketing via eshop.sma.gov.ae, group booking services, and partnership distribution through City Sightseeing Sharjah.

The Authority primarily serves general public visitors, school groups, academic institutions, tourist groups, and community organizations, with selected museums offering free entry including Sharjah Art Museum and Al Eslah School Museum, plus free admission on cultural holidays. As a government entity funded by the Sharjah government under the cultural stewardship of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, the Authority operates outside private equity or public shareholder structures. Its technology stack comprises a museum management and visitor experience platform supporting ticketing, online booking, and digital engagement across multiple social channels.

Name

Sharjah Museums Authority

Legal name

Sharjah Museums Authority

Website

https://sharjahmuseums.ae

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Sharjah Museums Authority is a UAE government cultural authority operating 16 museums across Sharjah covering Islamic civilisation, arts, heritage, science, archaeology, and marine life. It serves general visitors, schools, tourists, and academic institutions through ticketing, educational programs, venue rentals, and publications.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Museum Services

NAICS

Museums (71211), Historical Sites (712120), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

History Museums (THAJADAB), Specialty Museums (e.g., Maritime, Aviation, Sports, Music, Film) (THAJADAF)

Keywords

• Museum management services
• Cultural heritage preservation
• Educational museum programs
• Cultural tourism services
• Museum venue rental

Headquarters

HQ city

Sharjah

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Individual and joint tickets for 16 museums across Sharjah. Joint tickets available for Heart of Sharjah museums and Sharjah Aquarium & Maritime Museum.
2. Venue Rental: Museum spaces available for private events, parties, and corporate functions. Sharjah Aquarium Party Hall Rental for birthday celebrations.
3. Publications Sales: Museum publications including books related to exhibitions and collections sold at museum gift shops. Includes academic journals like 'Museums in the MENA Region'.
4. Gift Shop Sales: Retail gift shops operating in most museums offering museum-related merchandise and publications.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Sharjah Museums Authority operates a network of 16 museums across Sharjah and the eastern coast of the UAE, covering Islamic civilisation, arts, culture, heritage, science, archaeology, marine life, and regional history. It sells admission tickets (individual and joint tickets), provides educational programs such as school visits and workshops, offers venue rental for events, and distributes museum publications and merchandise. The Authority is a government cultural entity funded by the Sharjah government.

Product overview

Sharjah Museums Authority operates 16 distinct museums across Sharjah covering Islamic civilisation, arts, culture, heritage, science, archaeology, marine life, and regional history. The museum portfolio includes Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation, Sharjah Art Museum, Sharjah Heritage Museum, Sharjah Calligraphy Museum, Sharjah Fort Museum (Al Hisn), Sharjah Archaeology Museum (the first museum, established May 1997), Sharjah Science Museum, Sharjah Discovery Centre, Sharjah Aquarium, Sharjah Maritime Museum, Sharjah Classic Cars Museum, Bait Al Naboodah Museum, Bait Sheikh Saeed Al Qasimi, Al Mahatta Museum, Al Eslah School Museum, and Hisn Khorfakkan. Supporting these core museums, the Authority offers educational programs (SAWA Museums Studies, Ambassadors, Holiday Camps, Internships, Research), publications including the biennial 'Museums in the MENA Region Journal', and interactive learning materials. Visitor services include venue rental, birthday party packages at Sharjah Aquarium, online ticket booking via eshop, and joint ticketing for multiple museums.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation Museum covering Islamic art and culture with collections of religious textiles, manuscripts, and artifacts from the Islamic world, for the general public and researchers.
• Sharjah Art Museum Museum showcasing Orientalist artworks and British Orientalist artists' collections featuring art from the 19th century; free entry for visitors.
• Sharjah Heritage Museum Museum presenting the history of Sharjah and its people through artifacts and exhibits, targeting general public visitors and educational groups.
• Sharjah Calligraphy Museum Museum dedicated to Arabic calligraphy and its artistic traditions for visitors interested in regional art and culture.
• Sharjah Fort Museum (Al Hisn) Historic fort serving as a museum showcasing Sharjah's historical architecture and heritage for visitors and tourists.
• Sharjah Archaeology Museum Museum dedicated to archaeological findings, established on May 10, 1997 as the first museum in Sharjah, for general public, students, and researchers.
• Sharjah Science Museum Science museum with interactive exhibits and educational displays for children and families, with extended accessibility for people with disabilities.
• Sharjah Discovery Centre Children-focused interactive museum designed for discovery and hands-on learning experiences, primarily for families and school groups.
• Sharjah Aquarium Aquarium featuring approximately 100 marine species native to the region's waters, with underwater exploration experiences for general visitors and school groups; also offers birthday party packages.
• Sharjah Maritime Museum Museum showcasing Sharjah's rich maritime history and naval heritage for visitors and tourists.
• Sharjah Classic Cars Museum Museum displaying vintage and classic automobiles for visitors and automotive enthusiasts.
• Bait Al Naboodah Museum Historic house museum showcasing traditional Emirati architecture and heritage for visitors and cultural tourists.
• Bait Sheikh Saeed Al Qasimi Historic residence museum showcasing the heritage of the Al Qasimi ruling family for visitors and researchers.
• Al Mahatta Museum Museum documenting the history of aviation in Sharjah and the region's first airplane landing for visitors and aviation enthusiasts.
• Al Eslah School Museum Museum dedicated to the history of education in Sharjah, housed in a historic school building, with free entry for visitors and students.
• Hisn Khorfakkan Historic fort in Khorfakkan showcasing the region's heritage, located on the east coast of the UAE, for visitors and tourists.
• Online Ticket Booking Online ticket purchasing system available through the e-shop portal for individual and joint museum entry, for individual visitors and tourists.
• Joint Tickets Combined tickets offering access to multiple museums including the Heritage Joint Ticket covering 5 museums (Heritage, Fort, Calligraphy, Bait Al Naboodah, Al Eslah) and the Sharjah Aquarium & Maritime Museum Joint Ticket, for visitors seeking multi-museum experiences.
• Group Visit Services Guided tours and educational programs for school visits, academic visits, and official group visits with free guided tours for groups, for schools, universities, and tourist groups.
• Museum Venue Rental Indoor and outdoor event spaces available for rental at various museums for private events, corporate functions, and celebrations, for event organizers and corporate clients.
• Birthday Party Package at Sharjah Aquarium Birthday celebration packages available for children at Sharjah Aquarium venue, for families hosting children's parties.
• SAWA Museums Studies Program Educational program providing museum studies and professional development opportunities for students and professionals.
• Sharjah Museums Ambassadors Program Program training volunteers and enthusiasts to serve as museum ambassadors for community members and cultural enthusiasts.
• Happy Holiday Camp Seasonal educational camp for children offering interactive workshops and activities for school-age visitors during holidays.
• Museum Publications Books and journals published annually about the museums' collections and exhibitions, including the biennial 'Museums in the MENA Region Journal' and exhibition catalogues, sold at museum gift shops for visitors, researchers, and academics.
• Museum Gift Shop Sales Retail gift shops operating in most museums offering museum-related merchandise and publications for visitors.

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• City Sightseeing SharjahminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership providing hop-on hop-off bus tours that explore Sharjah's museums and tourist attractions, allowing visitors to explore at their own pace.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Smithsonian Institution: U.S. national museum complex operating 21 museums and the National Zoo with research and educational programming. Comparable as a multi-museum government-affiliated cultural institution with educational programs, research output, and venue rental operations.
• Aga Khan Museum: Museum in Toronto dedicated to Islamic art and culture with educational programming. Comparable for its focus on Islamic civilization, manuscripts, and cultural heritage — intersecting with Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation's content area — though operating globally rather than regionally.
• British Museum: World-leading encyclopedic museum in London with universal collections spanning civilizations. Comparable as a globally recognized museum institution with research, publications, and educational programs, though at vastly larger scale and broader scope than Sharjah's regional focus.

Direct peers

• Dubai Culture and Arts Authority: Government cultural authority in the UAE operating museums (including Dubai Museum), heritage sites, and arts programming. Closely comparable as a peer government entity in the same country running a multi-venue cultural portfolio with educational and tourism objectives.
• Qatar Museums Authority: National cultural authority in Qatar operating museums (National Museum of Qatar, Museum of Islamic Art, Mathaf). Closely comparable as a state-led cultural entity managing a portfolio of museums with Islamic art, heritage, and contemporary exhibitions.
• Museum of the Future (Dubai): UAE flagship cultural institution focused on science, technology, and future innovation. Comparable as a high-profile UAE museum competing for the same regional tourist base, though with a more thematic/specialized versus multi-disciplinary offering.
• Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi: UAE government cultural authority operating museums and heritage sites in Abu Dhabi, including Louvre Abu Dhabi. Directly comparable as a state-led cultural institution managing multiple museum properties in the same country with similar tourism and educational mandates.
• Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities: Government cultural authority in Bahrain managing museums, heritage sites, and cultural events. Comparable as a regional peer government institution overseeing museum operations and cultural programming in a Gulf state.
• Louvre Abu Dhabi: Flagship art and civilization museum in the UAE, also under the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi. Comparable as a major UAE cultural attraction competing for regional tourism share, though with a more international art-collection focus versus Sharjah's heritage emphasis.

Regional players

• National Museum of Oman: National heritage museum operated by Oman's Ministry of Heritage and Culture. Comparable as a regional Gulf museum focused on national history and heritage, though operating in a different geography and as a single primary institution versus Sharjah's 16-museum portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sharjahmuseums
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/SharjahMuseums
• Facebookfacebook.com/SharjahMuseumsAuthority
• Instagraminstagram.com/sharjahmuseums
• TikToktiktok.com/@sharjahmuseums
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sharjahmuseumsauthority

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Sharjah Museums Authority