Sharjah Aquarium: visitor guide

What to expect at Sharjah Aquarium

The Sharjah Aquarium in the Al Khan district provides a good aquarium experience at a very accessible price, 250 marine species from the Arabian Gulf and Indian Ocean displayed across 22 tanks in a well-designed facility with a glass viewing tunnel, touch tanks and a particularly strong focus on the regional marine environment. Combined with the adjacent Sharjah Maritime Museum (included in the ticket), it provides one of the most complete marine and maritime experiences available in Sharjah.

The Aquarium Experience

The aquarium's 22 tanks cover the major marine habitats of the Arabian Gulf and Indian Ocean, coral reef communities with their striking fish diversity, open water with pelagic species including sharks and rays, deep-sea environments, and the distinctive inshore habitats of the Gulf's seagrass beds and mangrove margins. In addition, the glass viewing tunnel, running through the large central tank, provides the standard immersive experience with rays passing overhead. The touch tanks allow visitors to handle sea stars, sea cucumbers and other invertebrates under expert supervision, with particularly excellent interaction for children.

The aquarium's focus on Arabian Gulf species, rather than attempting to represent global marine diversity, gives it a specific regional character that distinguishes it from the larger Dubai and Abu Dhabi aquariums. Also, the local reef fish, the Gulf sharks, the dugong information panels and the detailed documentation of the Gulf's endemic species all reflect a real commitment to educating visitors about the sea that surrounds them.

The Maritime Museum

In general, the adjacent Sharjah Maritime Museum, included in the aquarium ticket, documents the maritime heritage of Sharjah and the wider Gulf region, with a focus on traditional dhow construction, pearl diving, fishing methods and the navigation knowledge that sustained the pre-oil Gulf economy. Scale models of traditional Gulf vessels, historical navigation instruments. Also, a beautifully reconstructed traditional dhow workshop make this one of the more illuminating maritime heritage encounters available in Sharjah.

Practical Information

The aquarium sits in the Al Khan district on the Sharjah Corniche, well-signposted and easily accessible. Generally, the combination of the aquarium, the Maritime Museum and the adjacent Al Khan Lagoon area makes the Al Khan district a worthwhile half-day destination. In fact, the aquarium is fully air-conditioned and family-friendly throughout, making it a good choice for hot-weather visits.