Al Mahatta Museum, Sharjah

Nice place to know about aircraft design and mechanism of flying. Staff is very helpful. They let you enjoy the view of cockpit and explains the mechanism of flying through birds. Must go place with kids so that they can learn that too.

Great little museum, smack dab in the middle of Sharjah city. Based around the Mahatta airport which is obviously now unused after the city built up around it and the larger Sharjah international airport was built. The old fort and airport building was converted into an Airplane museum and should definitely be visited to get an idea of how quickly things have changed in the region. Following the Google map location, the museum is located behind an immigration building. There is free parking located in the complex, the security guard at the gate will allow you access to that as soon as you drive up to the gate. Ticket prices are minimal and once inside you will be ushered into the main hangar along with a guide. He/she won't do much more than point you in the right direction. The main hangar contains a mix of older aircraft with a Dehaviland Comet being the main draw. You can sit in it's cockpit and the interior seats of this ex gulf air aircraft. You will then be ushered through a long gallery of photos and a small aircraft themed museum. Finally if you ask you can be taken into a projection room with a video shot during the hay day of the airport and surrounds. Take a minute to see all the large buildings surrounding the museum and imagine how only 50 or slightly longer years ago none of what you see existed and how airplanes used to use this as a fuelling and overnight stop between flights travelling from England to the far East and beyond.