Sharjah is set to strengthen its position as a regional centre for art and design with the planned Irthi Museum, expected to be the region’s first museum dedicated specifically to contemporary craft.
The museum will be located within the upcoming Sharjah Creative Quarter and will establish a permanent collection documenting contemporary craft practices in the UAE and the wider region. Alongside exhibitions, the institution is expected to integrate research, education, and design, creating new opportunities for artisans to develop their practices and pass traditional knowledge to future generations.
An official opening date has yet to be announced, although an Irthi representative said at the UAE edition of the design and architecture fair Nomad in November that the museum was scheduled to open in 2029.
Craft as a Living Practice
Rather than treating craft solely as a record of the past, Irthi Museum will explore it as a living and evolving creative practice.
Its collections and programmes are expected to examine how techniques transmitted through generations continue to influence contemporary art, architecture, fashion, and product design.
The museum will also focus on documenting and researching contemporary craft while supporting artisans and creating educational opportunities through which traditional knowledge can reach younger generations.
The project builds on almost a decade of work by the Irthi Contemporary Crafts Council, which has worked to preserve Emirati craft traditions while introducing them to contemporary audiences and international markets.
Preserving Emirati Craft Through New Opportunities
Irthi was established in 2016, initially focusing on traditional crafts practised by Emirati women.
Its founder and royal patron, Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, has emphasised the importance of providing craftswomen with vocational training, sustainable income opportunities and access to local and international markets.
One of the council’s key initiatives is the Bidwa Social Development Programme in Dibba Al Hisn, which works with Emirati artisans practising techniques passed down through generations.
These include safeefah, the weaving of palm fronds, and talli, a traditional form of embroidery. The programme has also helped introduce younger women to these skills, supporting the continuation of craft knowledge.
Where Traditional Craft Meets Contemporary Design
Irthi’s work has increasingly moved beyond preservation, bringing traditional techniques and materials into contemporary design.
Its first original product line featured 78 pieces across 12 collections, spanning furniture, jewellery, handbags, and perfume bottles. The works were developed by female Emirati artisans in collaboration with international designers and craft practitioners.
Some projects have experimented with unexpected combinations of traditional and contemporary materials, including safeefah woven with camel leather and Emirati clay combined with Murano glass.
The council has also established relationships with major fashion and luxury brands.
Fashion label Qasimi, for example, incorporated safeefah and faroukha, a traditional handwoven tassel, into its Spring/Summer 2022 collection. Emirati craftswomen from Dibba Al Hisn have also received commissions from luxury houses, including Cartier and Bulgari, after Irthi connected them with international designers.
More recently, the Tilad Collection, developed with Mexican artist Ricardo Rendon and presented at Nomad Abu Dhabi, brought together safeefah and talli with Mexican craft traditions and pine wood. Its woven elements were produced by Emirati women artisans.
A New Cultural Destination in Sharjah
Irthi Museum was first identified as part of Sharjah Creative Quarter when plans for the development were unveiled in January 2025.
The wider creative district is being designed by Taller de Arquitectura Mauricio Rocha, in collaboration with Daniel Rossello, and is planned near the House of Wisdom, the American University of Sharjah, and the Sharjah Research, Technology, and Innovation Park.
The quarter is expected to become a multidisciplinary cultural and creative hub, with planned institutions and initiatives including:
- Irthi Museum
- Qasimi Archives
- Sharjah Fashion Lab
- Sharjah Design Centre
- Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi Collection
- A Sharjah campus of L’École, School of Jewelry Arts, supported by Van Cleef & Arpels
Together, these projects are intended to connect heritage, contemporary design, fashion, research and creative education.
Connecting Heritage With the Future
The planned Irthi Museum represents a broader shift in how Emirati heritage is being presented: not simply as something to preserve, but as a source of inspiration for contemporary creative production.
By placing artisans, researchers, designers and audiences within the same institution, the museum could provide a platform where traditional knowledge is documented while also being reinterpreted for new generations.
As part of Sharjah Creative Quarter, Irthi Museum would further strengthen the emirate’s growing cultural infrastructure and create a dedicated space where Emirati craft heritage meets contemporary art, design and innovation.