Sharjah: Visitors of the newly opened Sharjah Heritage Museum will be able to learn about the UAE's rich heritage and culture through the displays which include tools, clothes and videos.
Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, accompanied by Shaikh Abdullah Bin Salim Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, inaugurated the museum on Tuesday, in the presence of a number of dignitaries and officials. Manal Ataya, director general of the Sharjah Museums Department, and Muna Mukhashab, curator of the Sharjah Heritage Museum, took the guests on a tour of the museum. Manal said the Sharjah Heritage Museum was a new landmark in the heart of the emirate that embodied the stories of the emirate's forefathers and the rich history of the UAE as a whole.
‘Innovative'
She exclusively told Gulf News: "This museum is different because we have researched various aspects of heritage and have provided new in-depth information for our visitors. The design of the museum and interactive children's gallery on story telling is innovative and provides a unique experience for the visitor."
The museum is housed in the "Bait Saeed Al Taweel" (tall Saeed's House), which was built by the Qasimi family around 1795 in the Old Sharjah area.
There are six permanent exhibitions at the museum: landscapes, which features the natural environments found in the emirate; lifestyles, which showcases the variety of social and religious values of the UAE; celebrations, which highlights traditions practised on special occasions; livelihood, which shows how everyday life was years ago; traditional knowledge, which includes displays of folk medicine tools and astrological knowledge; and oral traditions, an interactive gallery displaying the UAE's heritage in proverbs and children's stories.
Sharjah Heritage Museum also has a temporary exhibition and a cinema. Other activities held at the museum will include educational programmes and various workshops.
