The former home of one of the largest pearl merchants in Sharjah has been restored to its former glory.
Bait Al Naboodah was built in 1845 and the two-storey structure is recognised as an architectural masterpiece.
Now it has reopened to the public following a painstaking two-year renovation.
The house was owned by Emirati Obaid Al Shamsi, a pearl merchant who expanded his business into even India and Europe.
It is built around a large courtyard with walls made of coral. The interior and exterior designs are characterised by decorative carvings in plaster, wood and palm trunks.
The ground floor includes a bedroom, courtyard and a water well, while upstairs is the summer quarters and bedrooms.
Experts from the Sharjah Institute for Heritage have preserved the building's frescoes, wooden beams and teak columns.
The house was also built with an internal cooling system, and this helped the family stay near the sea throughout the year even when most people would migrate from the coast to interior areas and oases to escape the summer heat.
Visitors to Bait Al Naboodah can see just how successful the pearl merchant and his family were. The house was one of the largest buildings in the area, located in a strategic area with a unique design that included architectural and cultural features from all over the world. This acted as a clear indication of the family's status.
Exhibits at the museum include coins from India and the Arabian Gulf, as well as equipment used to measure the weight and size of pearls brought to Sharjah.
There is also a collection of archive documents that show Al Naboodah's dealings with companies, businessmen and the rulers.
Interactive displays also show the importance of the pearl trade to the region.
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Manal Ataya is director of Sharjah Museums Authority.
“Experts from the Sharjah Institute for Heritage were careful to use a mix of traditional and modern techniques in the renovation work so that the restored building is an authentic representation of its past," she said.
“Every detail has been painstakingly brought back to life as a mark of respect for not only its esteemed former owner, but also for this important part of the UAE’s heritage and culture."
“Bait Al Naboodah is a stunning architectural example that embodies the heritage of Sharjah. We invite Emiratis, residents and tourists to experience first-hand the rich lives and experiences of the generations of people who called this grand old property home.
Pearl diving sustained generations of people who lived in what is now modern-day UAE. But by the 1920s, the trade had collapsed following the development of cultured pearls in Japan.
For more information on opening hours visit sharjahmuseums.ae
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
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The closest international airport for those travelling from the UAE is Denver, Colorado. British Airways (www.ba.com) flies from the UAE via London from Dh3,700 return, including taxes. From there, transfers can be arranged to the ranch or it’s a seven-hour drive. Alternatively, take an internal flight to the counties of Cody, Casper, or Billings
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Red Reflet offers a series of packages, with prices varying depending on season. All meals and activities are included, with prices starting from US$2,218 (Dh7,150) per person for a minimum stay of three nights, including taxes. For more information, visit red-reflet-ranch.net.
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Sharjah Wanderers 20-25 Dubai Tigers (After extra-time)
Wanderers
Tries Gormley, Penalty
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Tigers
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