MUSEUMS
Stories unique to Sharjah were researched
to ensure the objects were presented as
connections to lives, and not merely as
working tools and technologies
ing with Sharjah Museums Department on
an oral archiving programme, has allowed
us to make a much stronger connection
between the exhibition and the community.
The collection, which had been housed
in non-conditioned spaces, had to undergo
a complete programme of conservation
by the Sharjah Museums Department so
that it could be safely re-housed in the
new building. Both the craft and the sup-
porting collections are everyday objects
but they are imbued with the history of
generations of lives of those who have Sharjah still has a thriving fi shing indus- For centuries pearling had been the
lived on the coasts of Sharjah. The value of try – traditional wooden seafaring dhows driving economic force in the Gulf and
these objects as connections to lives and used for fi shing and pearling still ply their until its demise in the mid-twentieth cen-
not merely as working tools and technolo- trade up and down the Gulf and far out into tury shaped the culture and life of many
gies led the design to a solution that was the Indian Ocean. This is not a story of the coastal towns and cities and although this
very simple and direct, to give the objects past, but how the sea still plays a vital part story is common to other Emirates, the
primacy. To achieve this, stories unique to in the shape and character of the Emirate. project managed to unearth material from
Sharjah were researched and local indi- a pearling captain that had never been
viduals found who could represent the key SAM’AA seen before. First person evidence and
themes of the museum. This initiated an At the core of the exhibit there was always historic fi lm footage are vital to telling of
oral history project focused on the mari- going to be a major craft that would have the immensely hard life led by the pearlers
time heritage of Sharjah, which is now an to be either purchased or built specially and divers but also the profi t and wealth
ongoing component of the museums cul- and eventually a sam’aa (a small inshore gained by the boat owners and traders. At
tural development. vessel) was chosen to bring scale and the museum, visitors can view genuine
The collection is supported by historic drama to the exhibition, which visitors Arabian pearls and fi nd out how they were
images and rare fi lm footage of pearling can explore as well as visit the ‘boom’ collected, measured and weighed.
and fi shing, as well as video and photog- boat moored on the quayside outside the Interactives in the museum allow the
raphy, which form the basis of a growing museum. An exhibition of model boats is visitor to explore why the lateen sail was so
archive and collection. HSD was respon- included in the design of the fi rst fl oor edu- important to Arab ships and why Gulf ships
sible for researching and fi nding all the cation space as a reference collection. have such large sails to deal with relatively
required images. On entering the main area of the exhibi- light winds. An interactive table allows the
tion, the visitor can choose to explore each visitor to become a merchant looking to
MARINE RESOURCES of the different themes that are clustered make a profi t trading goods around the
Although the museum isn’t trying to tell on islands around the key craft from the Gulf and the visitor can challenge them-
the defi nitive story of maritime history in collection. Each theme has a variety of selves to navigate without a compass but
Sharjah and the Gulf, it opens with an media and levels of interactivity to relate by the observation of a star chart.
introductory AV explaining Sharjah’s mari- the personal stories and the objects and to The personal stories that elucidate the
time heritage from 3,000 years ago to the meet the needs of a multigenerational and themes include a pearl captain, a hauler,
present day. Sharjah has been shaped by multicultural audience. the director of the port operations, a dhow
fi shing, trade and, on occasions, mari- HSD has sought to fi nd design expres- builder, a reed boat builder, a business
time confl ict. The visitor is introduced to sions that are contemporary and which entrepreneur and a fi sherman to bring the
very early exhibits loaned from Sharjah resonate with traditional Islamic princi- entire spectrum of maritime activity to life.
Archaeological Museum which express ples and values that refl ect His Highness’s HSD acknowledges the commitment
how coastal dwelling and the use of marine desire to balance the evolution of a from Sharjah Museums Department which,
resources have been key to life. Although modern Emirate with one that values its as a newly founded group, invested such
rooted in the ancient past, contemporary heritage, history and environmental. energy and effort in developing collections,
undertaking research and creating an oral
AN AV EXPLAINS SHARJAH’S MARITIME HERITAGE.
and video history project to ensure that the
project met everyone’s aspirations for a
SHARJAH HAS BEEN SHAPED BY FISHING, TRADE truly Sharjan Maritime Museum that could
AND, ON OCCASIONS, MARITIME CONFLICT
deliver a uniquely local history story within
the overall Gulf context. ●
50 Read Attractions Management online
attractionsmanagement.com/digital AM 1 2010
©
cybertrek 2010
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