Bait Al Naboodah Museum: Tickets, Hours & What’s Inside
Bait Al Naboodah Museum is a coral-walled pearl merchant’s house from 1845, and it takes about an hour to walk through properly. Adult entry is AED 10.
The house belonged to Obaid bin Eissa Bin Ali Al Shamsi, a pearl merchant known as Al Naboodah, who traded with India, Africa and France. It stands in the Al Mareija area of the Heart of Sharjah and has been open as a museum since 14 November 1995.
The pearl gallery and the carved courtyard rooms are the parts that repay the most time. A joint heritage ticket extends the visit to four neighbouring museums.
Bait Al Naboodah Museum visitor information
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Location | Al Mareija, Heart of Sharjah, opposite Al Eslah School Museum and Souq Al Arsah |
| House built | 1845 |
| Museum opened | 14 November 1995 (reopened 8 April 2018 after restoration) |
| Run by | Sharjah Museums Authority |
| Adult ticket | AED 10 (ages 13 and over) |
| Opening hours | Saturday to Thursday 8 AM to 8 PM, Friday 4 PM to 8 PM |
| Time needed | About 1 hour |
Tickets & entry fees
An adult ticket costs AED 10 and a child’s ticket (ages 2 to 12) costs AED 5. The Sharjah Museums Authority sells tickets at the museum reception and through its online ticketing service.
| Visitor | Single ticket | Joint heritage ticket |
|---|---|---|
| Adults (13+) | AED 10 | AED 20 |
| Children (2 to 12) | AED 5 | AED 10 |
| Children under 2 | Free | Free |
Free entry
Several groups enter at no cost:
- Seniors aged 60 and over, plus one companion
- People with disabilities
- Government and private school trips
- Government and private university trips
Entry is also free on four occasions: Sharjah Heritage Days, International Museum Day on 18 May, Martyr’s Day on 1 December and UAE National Day on 2 December.
Joint heritage ticket
The joint ticket covers five museums: Bait Al Naboodah, Al Eslah School Museum, Sharjah Heritage Museum, Sharjah Calligraphy Museum and Sharjah Fort (Al Hisn). It costs AED 20 for adults and AED 10 for children, so adults pay AED 10 more than the single ticket for four extra museums.
The house itself is compact. That makes it a good one-hour stop within a longer walk through the district, and a weaker choice as a stand-alone half-day plan.
Opening hours & closing days
The museum opens from 8 AM to 8 PM on Saturday to Thursday and from 4 PM to 8 PM on Friday.
| Period | Hours |
|---|---|
| Saturday to Thursday | 8 AM to 8 PM |
| Friday | 4 PM to 8 PM |
| Ramadan, Saturday to Thursday | 9 AM to 2 PM |
| Ramadan, Friday | Closed |
The museum is closed on these days:
- The 29th and 30th of Ramadan
- The first day of Eid Al Fitr
- The 9th of Dhul Hijjah
- The first day of Eid Al Adha
History of the house
The house dates from 1845 and was built for Obaid bin Eissa Bin Ali Al Shamsi, who went by the name Al Naboodah. He lived there with his family, and the building grew in phases as the family grew. It became one of the largest houses in early Sharjah.
His business reached well beyond the Gulf. He spent seven years living in India, and his business partner and son-in-law, Humaid Al Kamel, ran an office in Paris, where he lived for 15 years.
Pearling drove the economy of the Gulf coast until the 1930s, when Japanese cultured pearls collapsed the market almost overnight. The museum tells that story through the home of a family that lived it.
Bait Al Naboodah opened as a museum on 14 November 1995. It was renovated and restored, then reopened on 8 April 2018.
Architecture of the house
Bait Al Naboodah is a two-storey house built around a large courtyard, with coral walls, teak columns and carved plaster and wood throughout. These are the features to look for:
- Teak columns. Imported from India and carved in the Roman Ionic style, they support the galleries above the courtyard.
- Carved patterns. Geometric and floral designs run through the plaster and woodwork. A gallery inside shows the moulds and carving tools the artisans used.
- Malaqaf. These wind scoops are built into the walls instead of the traditional barjeel wind towers, and they moved air through the rooms in the years before air conditioning.
- Three spiral staircases. Each one gave a separate family unit access to its own living quarters.
The design draws on Arabian, Indian and Persian traditions, alongside wider Gulf influences, which is why the house looks unlike other early buildings in the emirate.
What you will see inside
The pearl gallery is the centrepiece and the part to spend the most time in. It covers how pearls were sourced, where the best ones are found and the different kinds discovered around the world. An interactive exhibit lets visitors try on jewellery, including elaborate necklaces and headdresses.
The other rooms have been restored and furnished for the roles they originally served:
- A majlis set up for receiving distinguished guests
- The kitchen and the storage areas
- A bathroom
- The architecture gallery
A saltwater well is still on the premises. The household drew water from it for cleaning the house, washing clothes and dishes, and bathing.
Labels are in English and Arabic.
Getting there
The museum is in Al Mareija, inside the Heart of Sharjah heritage district, opposite Al Eslah School Museum and Souq Al Arsah.
- Head for the Heart of Sharjah and the Al Mareija area.
- Open the museum map pin in Google Maps for directions to the door.
- Look for Al Eslah School Museum and the souq. The museum faces both.
- Go in through the carved wooden doorway, which opens onto the central courtyard.
FAQ
How much is a ticket to Bait Al Naboodah Museum?
Adults (13 and over) pay AED 10 and children aged 2 to 12 pay AED 5. Children under 2 enter free, as do seniors aged 60 and over with one companion and people with disabilities.
When is Bait Al Naboodah Museum open?
It is open from 8 AM to 8 PM on Saturday to Thursday and from 4 PM to 8 PM on Friday. During Ramadan the hours are 9 AM to 2 PM on Saturday to Thursday, and the museum is closed on Fridays.
Is Bait Al Naboodah Museum free on any days?
Yes. Entry is free during Sharjah Heritage Days, on International Museum Day (18 May), on Martyr’s Day (1 December) and on UAE National Day (2 December).
Which museums does the joint ticket cover?
It covers Bait Al Naboodah, Al Eslah School Museum, Sharjah Heritage Museum, Sharjah Calligraphy Museum and Sharjah Fort (Al Hisn). Adults pay AED 20 and children aged 2 to 12 pay AED 10.
Who was Al Naboodah?
Al Naboodah was Obaid bin Eissa Bin Ali Al Shamsi, a pearl merchant with commercial ties in India, Africa and France. He built the house in 1845 and lived in it with his family.
How long does a visit take?
About an hour is enough to see the pearl gallery, the restored rooms and the courtyard.
Next steps for your visit
Bait Al Naboodah works best as a one-hour stop inside a longer walk through the Heart of Sharjah.
- Arrive any time from 8 AM on Saturday to Thursday, or after 4 PM on Friday.
- Buy the AED 20 joint ticket if you are adding Al Eslah School Museum, Sharjah Heritage Museum, Sharjah Calligraphy Museum or Sharjah Fort.
- Plan for the Ramadan hours of 9 AM to 2 PM, and avoid the Eid and Ramadan closing days.
- Go on 18 May, 1 December or 2 December for free entry.
