Want the perfect selfie? Discover SIBF 2025’s most Instagrammable spots

Sharjah: The Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) is proving that a love for books and a love for photos can go hand in hand. At its 44th edition, the fair has transformed beyond traditional pages, offering visitors an immersive experience where literature meets visual creativity.

From mirrored walls and floating canvases to roaming dinosaurs, the fair has become a hub for interactive moments that capture the spirit of today’s social media culture.

The fair’s Social Media Station has quickly become its digital darling. A black wall adorned with convex mirrors draws teens and young adults eager to pose from every angle. Playful stickers in Arabic and English – reading “Main Character Era” or “ICYMI BOOKS > Everything” – blend internet slang with literary wit. “It’s like a hall of stories,” said visitor Noura, as she framed her perfect shot.

A towering arch in amber and orange marks the entrance to Intellectual Hall. Visitors pause here, phones in hand, capturing moments as “literary intellects” amid the fair’s vibrant backdrop.

Greece Pavilion: Minimalist design meets mythology in a space that evokes Santorini through bookshelves and bright colours. One visitor described it as “Santorini, but for books.”

Oman Pavilion: Traditional arches meet modern finishes, creating elegant cut-out shelves where visitors step inside photographs that feel both timeless and contemporary.

Playfulness spreads across the fairgrounds. A life-size Smurf bench at the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority stand draws families, while roaming dinosaurs and stilt performers turn aisles into a moving parade. Children dance, parents film, and for a few moments, SIBF becomes a festival of sights and sounds.

At the Sharjah booth, floating canvases supported by painted iron pipes create small reading spaces and artistic frames. Visitors walking through the installation become part of the art itself.

Above the halls, strips of amber fabric ripple like desert sand dunes, a subtle tribute to Sharjah’s landscape. Meanwhile, the Sarab booth offers a quiet retreat with minimalist seating and books on the emirate’s history, inviting visitors to slow down and reconnect with the joy of reading.

This year, SIBF reminds visitors that books and visual culture go hand in hand. Every mirror, arch, and photograph tells a story – proving that reading inspires not only imagination, but how we see and share the world around us.