Al Mahatta Aviation Museum

Al Mahatta Museum in Sharjah occupies the site of the former Sharjah Airport — the first airport in the UAE. It was built in 1932 and served aircraft of various types, including as a staging post on commercial routes between Britain and India in the 1930s. Today the museum houses exhibits telling the story of aviation development in the United Arab Emirates, and it doesn't stop at the Emirates — it also covers humanity's broader quest to fly.

Here you'll find various documents, aircraft and terminal equipment, and pilot gear. But the real highlight under Al Mahatta Museum's roof are the full-size, fully restored propeller planes standing in the hangar alongside the original refueling tanker — you can walk right up to them, look inside the cockpits, and even sit at the controls.

A walk through the museum includes a documentary film about the history of the airport, filmed by the Royal Air Force, showing daily life at the airport and in Sharjah town during the 1930s.

A separate section of the museum is dedicated to Air Arabia — the first and largest low-cost carrier in the Middle East.

Important: according to the official Sharjah Museums Authority website, the museum is temporarily closed until further notice. Before visiting, check the current status by calling +971 6 573 3079 or on the official Sharjah Museums website.

Admission (once reopened)

Adult ticket: AED 10.
Child 2-12 years: AED 5.
Children under 2: free.

Regular opening hours: Saturday to Thursday 8:00–20:00, Friday 16:00–20:00 (applicable once the museum reopens).

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