Sharjah celebrates International Museums Day

Running from Friday 18 May to Sunday May 20, SMD is presenting a rich program of diverse events and activities to mark International Museum Day.

SMD has engaged most its museums in the celebrations, which will be held in the external yard of the Sharjah Aquarium and the Sharjah Maritime Museum where the audience will get a chance to learn about various events and programs organized by the Department in collaboration with the Department of Interpretation and Education.

The Sharjah Calligraphy Museum is engaging in the celebration with a workshop on early writing tools, offering the audience an opportunity to learn about the changes that calligraphy has witnessed over time, as well as the different types of paper involved. During the workshop, a calligrapher will show the participants various methods of using paper and newspapers, as well as how to recycle used papers by removing the ink and reprocessing them. They will also learn how to properly cut paper to size and prepare it for use, how ink can be made from natural materials, such as rice and coffee beans, and how to turn the old paint brushes into calligraphy brushes.

Al Islah School is holding an exhibition on the development of the educational system from the traditional educational system, known as ‘katateeb’ through to our current modern system. Visitors to the exhibition will learn about the principles and teaching methods of the traditional system, as well as get an insight into the environment in which this system functioned; the clothes, writing tools, and even the types of seats that were used. .

The Sharjah Science Museum is hosting a workshop on clean energy and preserving the environment. Participants can listen to a presentation on the telescopes that are used to clearly view the planets and moon and learn more about how the museum keeps up to date with the developments in the field of telescopes.

The Sharjah Discovery Centre will hold a workshop where the children participating will be making a light chandelier inspired by the idea of the Primitive lantern, in line with this year’s slogan ‘Museums in a Changing World’.

The Sharjah Aquarium will present an introductory film on the Sharjah Aquarium’s achievements across various fields, including its many sustainable environment and awareness campaigns, as well as its cooperation with educational institutions, among others. The film will show the Aquarium’s effective use of modern technology to make information easily accessible to its visitors.

The Sharjah Maritime Museum will be holding an interview with father Saif, the builder of the traditional ship ‘Al Sama’a’, who will give a detailed explanation about the tools and materials used in building the ship, difficulties they faced, the stages involved in building the ship, and the time it took to complete.

Finally, the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization will be taking part in the International Museum Day celebrations with a presentation on its participation in the ‘Museums without Borders program.

Speaking on the occasion, Manal Ataya, SMD Director General said, “The world is witnessing countless changes with the arrival every new day. Modern technology has introduced numerous means to transfer ideas and exchange expertise and experience and has enabled us to get instant access to vast stores information and get into contact with people from all over the world via social networking sites. The Sharjah Museums Department, guided by the wise directives of the country’s leadership, is actively working to develop its communication systems as per the highest international standards so that we may further enhance the emirate’s reputation on the global arena”.

She added that the Department is steadfastly working to enhance its social communication with its local and global audience via various media, and hence SMD strives to continuously communicate with the media community through social networking sites as well as through print, audio, and visual media. The Department has recently modernized its website, and is daily updating its pages on the various social networking sites, apart from its electronic newsletters which are distributed to database of thousands of contacts.

International Museums Day has been celebrated worldwide on 18 May every year since 1977, following an initiative by the International Council of Museums. Every year the ICM selects a main theme under which each museum organizes its activities. This year’s theme “Museums in a Changing World” has gained a significant importance due to the major changes currently being witnessed by the world on all walks of life.