The Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi Centre: The Heart in the Place of the Body

Abstract

This article introduces the Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi Centre in Sharjah as a cultural and documentary institution that preserves and presents aspects of the memory of the Arabian Gulf and the United Arab Emirates through historical maps, documents, photographs, and cultural collections. The article highlights the significance of the Centre, opened in 2007, and presents it as closely connected to Sharjah’s academic and cultural environment. It describes the Centre’s halls and exhibitions, including rare photographs of life in the Gulf, scenes from the history of the UAE, and printed and manuscript maps that reflect the development of geographical knowledge about the Gulf region and its links with Europe and the wider world. The article also notes the presence of books, old documents, globes, and images related to exploration, showing the Centre as a cultural institution that preserves historical memory and presents it within an organized visual and scholarly framework.