Sharjah Art Museum is one of the Gulf's foundational art institutions, offering a broad survey of art from the Arab world from the late nineteenth century onward. Opened in 1997, it also houses long-term loans from the Barjeel Art Foundation's celebrated collection of modern Arab art.
Opened in 1997, Sharjah Art Museum was among the first purpose-built art museums in the Gulf and remains one of its most important. Its permanent collection surveys Arab art from the late nineteenth century to today, alongside Orientalist works depicting the region.
The museum anchors Sharjah's standing as the cultural heart of the UAE, home to the Sharjah Biennial and a dense quarter of galleries and heritage sites. Its galleries, including a wing drawn from the Barjeel Art Foundation, make it essential viewing for anyone following modern Arab art.
Collection focus
- Modern Arab art
- Orientalist painting
- Contemporary art
- Works on paper
