Sharjah Launches Irthi Museum, Region’s First Institution Dedicated to Contemporary Crafts

The permanent cultural institution will preserve Emirati craft traditions while advancing research, education, design innovation and artisan empowerment.

Sharjah has strengthened its position as a leading cultural centre with the launch of Irthi Museum, described as the region’s first museum dedicated to contemporary craft.

A permanent home for contemporary craft

The Irthi Contemporary Crafts Council has announced the launch of Irthi Museum, a permanent cultural institution created to preserve, document and present the evolution of contemporary craft in the UAE and the wider region.

The museum aims to protect authentic Emirati craft traditions while encouraging their reinterpretation through contemporary design. By treating craft as a living and evolving practice, the institution will connect inherited knowledge with new materials, ideas and creative approaches.

Built on a decade of artisan empowerment

The launch represents a major milestone in Irthi’s 10-year journey of reviving heritage crafts, supporting women artisans and expanding the visibility of traditional skills within cultural and creative industries.

Since its establishment in 2015, the council has developed training, research, documentation and international collaboration programmes designed to preserve craftsmanship while creating economic and professional opportunities for artisans.

Research, education and design innovation

Beyond exhibitions, Irthi Museum will support research, education, collection development and design innovation. It will also promote public engagement with craft and help transfer specialist knowledge to younger generations.

This wider role is intended to make the museum more than a place for displaying finished objects. It will serve as a platform where traditional techniques can be studied, documented, taught and developed in conversation with contemporary practice.

Part of Sharjah Creative Quarter

The museum is located within Sharjah Creative Quarter, an integrated cultural and creative destination that brings together specialised institutions supporting design, fashion, archives, jewellery arts and creative production.

Other planned components of the quarter include the Qasimi Archives, Sharjah Fashion Lab, Sharjah Design Centre and the Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi Collection. The development is designed as a collaborative environment for artists, designers, researchers, artisans and the public.

Craft as a living legacy

Reem BinKaram, Director-General of Irthi Contemporary Crafts Council, described the museum as a bridge between heritage techniques and contemporary expression. She said it would celebrate craft not as a relic preserved in the past, but as a vibrant legacy capable of continuing and evolving.

The initiative also reinforces Sharjah’s status as a UNESCO Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art, recognising the emirate’s long-standing work in heritage preservation, artistic exchange and the development of cultural institutions.

Why the museum matters

By bringing conservation, documentation, education and contemporary design together, Irthi Museum creates a dedicated regional platform for craft. It offers artisans greater visibility, helps safeguard specialist skills and encourages audiences to understand how handmade traditions can remain relevant in modern life.

The launch adds another important institution to Sharjah’s cultural landscape and signals a long-term commitment to ensuring that Emirati and regional craft knowledge is protected, shared and carried forward.