Places to Visit in Sharjah: Islands, Museums and the Desert

The short answer: Sharjah's main sights split into a free waterfront (Al Majaz and Al Qasba), low-cost museums around the Heart of Sharjah and the corniche (most AED 10–25), one paid island garden (Al Noor Island, from AED 35), and a desert day at Mleiha, about an hour inland. Most UAE residents cover the city in a day and add a second day for Mleiha or Kalba's mangroves. Sharjah is about 25–30 km from Dubai: 25–45 minutes by car off-peak, or an RTA bus for about AED 10–12. It is also a dry emirate with a stricter dress code than Dubai.

This guide is for UAE residents doing Sharjah as a day trip or a weekend: what to see, what it costs, how to get there without a car, and the local rules that catch visitors out. For the East Coast beyond Kalba, see our Khorfakkan guide and our Fujairah guide; for the rest of the country, see places to visit in the UAE.

Sharjah at a glance

Where to go in Sharjah: the main places

Al Noor Island

Al Noor Island sits in Khalid Lagoon, reached by a footbridge from the corniche: landscaped gardens, art installations, the Literature Pavilion, an illuminated sculpture called OVO, and the Butterfly House, a climate-controlled dome of free-flying butterflies. The island's own ticket desk lists a Standard ticket at AED 50 (AED 30 for children) and an Explorer ticket at AED 75; we sell general admission, Butterfly House included, from AED 35 on our booking site. Allow about three hours. Reported hours run about 9am to 11pm on weekdays and until midnight on weekends, with the Butterfly House on its own shorter schedule, commonly 9am to 6pm; the island has also closed for private events between November and March, so check before building a day around it. Go late afternoon or after dark for the lighting.

Al Majaz Waterfront and Al Qasba

Al Majaz Waterfront and its fountain show

A free promenade along Khalid Lagoon, centred on the Al Majaz fountain, a large choreographed show that draws crowds most evenings. Reported times run roughly 6:30pm to 11:30pm Saturday to Wednesday, later on Thursday and Friday nights, though sources do not fully agree. Mini-golf, paddle boats and cafes line the water, so many visitors eat either side of the show.

Al Qasba

Next to Al Majaz, Al Qasba is a canal district with restaurants, the Maraya Art Centre and abra-style boat rides. The Eye of the Emirates ferris wheel that once stood here was taken down after 13 years, so older guides that send you to Al Qasba for the wheel are out of date.

The Heart of Sharjah

The Heart of Sharjah is the restored old town near Al Shuwaiheen, coral-and-gypsum buildings rebuilt around the original street layout. Al Hisn Fort (Sharjah Fort), built in the 1820s and restored to reopen in 2015, is the anchor: 12 galleries on the Al Qasimi family's rule, an armoury and a former arrest room, open Saturday to Thursday 8am to 8pm, Friday 4pm to 8pm (shorter in Ramadan). A standalone ticket costs AED 10.

A Heritage Joint Ticket, AED 20 per adult, covers the fort plus the Sharjah Heritage Museum (dress, jewellery and crafts), the Sharjah Calligraphy Museum (Arabic script and manuscripts), Bait Al Naboodah (a restored 19th-century merchant's house) and Al Qasimia School, reportedly the emirate's first formal school. Budget an hour for the fort alone, half a day for all five. Children aged 2 to 12 pay AED 5; residents aged 60 and over, plus one companion, enter free.

Sharjah's museums and galleries

The Sharjah Museums Authority runs sixteen museums; only the Heritage Joint Ticket above and the Aquarium and Maritime Museum ticket below cover more than one site.

Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation

On the corniche near Al Majaz, two floors on Islamic art, science and faith, with a planetarium-style dome on early Islamic astronomy. Hours match the fort's. Entry is AED 10 for adults, AED 5 for children aged 2 to 12, free under 2 and for seniors and ICOM (International Council of Museums) card holders.

Sharjah Art Museum, the Art Foundation and Rain Room

The Sharjah Art Museum is free to enter: one of the larger Gulf galleries for Arab and Islamic-world art, open Saturday to Thursday 9am to 8pm, Friday 4pm to 8pm. Its parent, the Sharjah Art Foundation, also runs smaller galleries around Al Mureijah Square, generally free and used for the Sharjah Biennial; hours vary by show. The Foundation's Rain Room, where falling water senses and avoids visitors, runs timed entry in small groups, reportedly AED 25 for adults, AED 15 for students; weekend sessions reportedly sell out, so book ahead.

Sharjah Aquarium, Maritime Museum and Classic Cars Museum

The aquarium and the Maritime Museum sit together on the Al Khan corniche, keeping the fort's hours. A joint ticket (tanks, tunnel and the Maritime Museum's shipbuilding and pearling displays) costs AED 25 for adults, AED 15 for children; the Maritime Museum alone costs AED 10 and AED 5. The Classic Cars Museum, near the airport, is commonly listed at the same hours and fees, unconfirmed against its own page.

Al Noor Mosque

On Buhaira Corniche, Al Noor Mosque is Sharjah's best-known mosque for non-Muslim visitors, through a free guided tour run by the Sharjah Centre for Cultural Communication. Most guides put it at around 10am on Monday mornings, about 45 minutes to an hour, though one source instead gives a Monday-to-Thursday morning window and sources disagree on whether registration is required, so confirm before setting off. Dress modestly: women are usually asked to wear an abaya provided at the entrance, and shoes come off before the prayer hall.

The Blue Souq

Sharjah's Central Souq, known as the Blue Souq for its turquoise-tiled towers on the corniche near Al Majaz, is two long buildings of carpets, gold, antiques and souvenirs, with bargaining expected outside fixed-price shops. Listed hours mostly agree on roughly 10am to 10:30pm Saturday to Thursday and from the late afternoon on Friday, though shops set their own hours and some close at midday.

House of Wisdom

In the University City area, House of Wisdom is a modern library and public space, opened in 2019, known for the illuminated "scroll" sculpture outside. Entry is free to anyone who wants to read, study or sit; guides commonly list hours as 9am to 11pm Sunday to Thursday and 9am to midnight Friday and Saturday, though we could not confirm these for 2026. Most of its large collection is digital, and there is a cafe inside.

Sharjah National Park and Al Montazah Parks

Sharjah National Park

On Al Dhaid Road (E88) near the airport, in Al Qraein: a 63-hectare city park with a duck pond, barbecue areas and a playground. Open daily 8am to 10pm; AED 6 for adults, free for children. Buses E303, E306 and E307 from Dubai stop at the main gates.

Al Montazah Parks

Sharjah's water and amusement park, in the city, has slides, pools and rides for children. Hours and prices change with the season and the park closes for maintenance some weeks, so check its own site before a family day built around it.

Sharjah Desert Park and the Arabian Wildlife Centre

About 28–30 km from Sharjah city, roughly 40–50 minutes from Dubai, one ticket covers the Arabian Wildlife Centre (Arabian leopards, gazelles and other desert species), the Natural History Museum, the Children's Farm and the Botanical Museum. Guides commonly list entry at AED 15 for adults, AED 5 for children aged 12 to 16, free under 12, with hours around 9am to 5:30pm and a shorter Friday afternoon; some guides list a Tuesday closure that others do not mention, so check first.

Mleiha: desert, fossils and stargazing

Mleiha Archaeological Centre sits about 55 km east of Sharjah city and roughly 65 km from Dubai, around the limestone ridge of Jebel Faya. In July 2025 the surrounding Faya Palaeolandscape, with evidence of human presence stretching back around 210,000 years, was inscribed as a UNESCO (the United Nations' cultural agency) World Heritage Site, the UAE's second after the Cultural Sites of Al Ain. The exhibition and a self-guided trail cost around AED 35 for adults; an archaeologist-led trek or a four-wheel-drive tour to Fossil Rock and ancient tomb clusters cost considerably more, commonly AED 185–250 per person, and should be booked ahead. Fossil-hunting, camping and stargazing are also offered through the centre's own tour desk at unconfirmed prices. Reported hours vary, roughly 9am to 7pm or 9pm depending on the day, so confirm before a late visit.

Kalba and the East Coast

Kalba is an exclave of Sharjah on the Gulf of Oman coast, about 120 km from Dubai, roughly 1.5–2 hours by road. Khor Kalba, a mangrove creek said to be among the oldest on the Arabian Peninsula's east coast, is best seen through the Khor Kalba Mangrove Centre, reported at around AED 15 per adult, free under 13, open Sunday and Tuesday to Thursday 9am to 6:30pm, Saturday 11am to 6:30pm, Friday 2pm to 6:30pm, closed Monday. The nearby Kalba Bird of Prey Centre keeps similar hours, also closed on Mondays, with a small entry fee; carry cash for both. For the beaches and corniche further north, see our Khorfakkan guide.

Getting to Sharjah from Dubai

By road, it is about 25–30 km between the two city centres: 25–45 minutes off-peak by Al Ittihad Road (E11, tolled here), Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road (E311) or Emirates Road (E611, toll-free and often fastest at peak). The corridor is one of the busiest UAE commutes on weekdays, and door-to-door time can run to around two hours during the roughly 6am–9:30am and 4:30pm–8pm peaks, Thursday evenings reportedly worst.

Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) runs three direct buses into Al Jubail Bus Station: E303 from Union Square Bus Station in Deira (about 50 minutes), E306 from Al Ghubaiba Bus Station in Bur Dubai (about 45 minutes), and E307 from Deira City Centre (about 30 minutes). Guides mostly list the fare at AED 10, though one 2026 guide puts it at AED 12, paid by Nol card; confirm timings on the RTA's S'hail app. If you drive, Sharjah runs its own paid parking zones around the corniche and museums.

Sharjah's rules for visitors

Sharjah is a dry emirate: alcohol is not sold or served anywhere, including in hotels, unlike Dubai and Abu Dhabi. A decency law, in force since 2001, also sets dress expectations: no clothing exposing the stomach or back, no short skirts or tight, transparent fabric for women, and no very short shorts or bare chests for men. Swimwear is kept to beaches and pools, not the street. It applies to residents and visitors alike, and modest clothing makes the day easier, especially around the Heart of Sharjah and Al Noor Mosque.

Best time to visit Sharjah

November to April is the comfortable stretch for Al Noor Island, the Heart of Sharjah and the desert excursions at Mleiha. May to September turns hot and humid, often well above 40 degrees Celsius by afternoon, which makes Mleiha's open-air sections and the wildlife centre's outdoor enclosures harder going; in summer, plan those for morning or evening and lean on the museums, House of Wisdom and the aquarium through the hottest hours.

A one-day and two-day Sharjah plan

• Day 1: the city. Al Noor Island before the heat builds, the Heart of Sharjah at midday, the Islamic Civilisation Museum or the Art Museum in the afternoon, then Al Majaz and Al Qasba in the evening for the fountain show and dinner.
• Day 2 (if you have it): the desert. Mleiha for the morning exhibition and a fossil-hunting walk, a desert tour and lunch, then back to the city or on to stargazing if booked ahead.
• Day 2, alternative: the East Coast. Kalba's mangroves and Bird of Prey Centre, continuing up the coast to Khorfakkan.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best places to visit in Sharjah?

Al Noor Island, the Heart of Sharjah's Al Hisn Fort and its joint-ticket museums, the Islamic Civilisation Museum, Al Majaz Waterfront's fountain show, and a desert day at Mleiha.

How far is Sharjah from Dubai?

About 25–30 km between the city centres, 25–45 minutes by car off-peak, though the trip can take up to around two hours at rush hour.

Is alcohol allowed in Sharjah?

No. Sharjah is a dry emirate: alcohol is not sold or served anywhere, including in hotels, unlike Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

What should I wear when visiting Sharjah?

Modest clothing: shoulders and knees covered for both men and women, no very short shorts or bare chests in public, and swimwear kept to beaches and pools.

How much do Sharjah's museums cost?

Most charge AED 10 for adults and AED 5 for children. The Heritage Joint Ticket covers Al Hisn Fort and four heritage museums for AED 20, the aquarium and Maritime Museum share an AED 25 ticket, and the Sharjah Art Museum is free.

How do I get from Dubai to Sharjah without a car?

RTA buses E303, E306 and E307 run from Deira and Bur Dubai to Al Jubail Bus Station in 30–50 minutes, paid by Nol card, for about AED 10–12 one way.

Plan it with Holidayys

We sell the Al Noor Island entry ticket, from AED 35, which covers the Butterfly House. Beyond that one ticket, Sharjah is close enough to Dubai that most residents visit on their own. If you are hosting family for a Sharjah day and need their UAE entry visa sorted first, see our UAE visa services. Message us on WhatsApp +971 4 589 0001 or use our contact page if you want help sequencing a Sharjah day with the rest of a UAE trip.

Related guides

• Things to do in Khorfakkan
• Places to visit in Fujairah
• Places to visit in the UAE
• Weekend getaways from Dubai
• Dubai with kids

Last checked 13 October 2026 against the Sharjah Museums Authority's own pages for the Fort and the Islamic Civilisation, Art, Aquarium and Maritime museums; The National, Khaleej Times and Gulf News on Al Hisn Fort and Al Qasba; Wikipedia; our own booking site's Al Noor Island listing; and third-party guides for the rest, since no single official source covers everything here. Hours and fees can change; confirm what matters to your day before you travel.