On May 13, 2025, first-year students from the MA in Global African Studies program visited The Flying Saucer in Sharjah as part of their course, History and Theory of Museums.
Originally constructed in the 1970s and restored in 2020, The Flying Saucer is a landmark building now operated by the Sharjah Art Foundation. The venue includes a circular dome supported by columns, an outdoor event space, a sunken courtyard known as the Green Crater, a café, and Sharjah’s first public art library.
Students received a guided tour led by Jiwon Lee, Curatorial Department Manager at the Sharjah Art Foundation. They also met with Ahmad Makia, Head of Publications, and Hadeyeh Badri, Learning Program Senior Coordinator. Discussions throughout the visit focused on the role of contemporary art spaces in cultural preservation, architectural heritage, and community engagement.
This visit was led by faculty Mohamed Faroug A. Ali, Assistant Professor of Archaeology and Okwui Enwezor Postdoctoral Fellow at The Africa Institute.
The group explored the building’s distinctive design and facilities, including the public art library, which features artist books, exhibition catalogs, and Sharjah Art Foundation publications in both Arabic and English.
The Flying Saucer is also one of the venues for Sharjah Biennial 16, themed to carry, which runs through June 15, 2025.
The visit offered students practical insight into how exhibition spaces function within contemporary museology.
On May 13, 2025, first-year students from the MA in Global African Studies program visited The Flying Saucer in Sharjah as part of their course, History and Theory of Museums.
On May 13, 2025, first-year students from the MA in Global African Studies program visited The Flying Saucer in Sharjah as part of their course, History and Theory of Museums.
Originally constructed in the 1970s and restored in 2020, The Flying Saucer is a landmark building now operated by the Sharjah Art Foundation. The venue includes a circular dome supported by columns, an outdoor event space, a sunken courtyard known as the Green Crater, a café, and Sharjah’s first public art library.
Students received a guided tour led by Jiwon Lee, Curatorial Department Manager at the Sharjah Art Foundation. They also met with Ahmad Makia, Head of Publications, and Hadeyeh Badri, Learning Program Senior Coordinator. Discussions throughout the visit focused on the role of contemporary art spaces in cultural preservation, architectural heritage, and community engagement.
This visit was led by faculty Mohamed Faroug A. Ali, Assistant Professor of Archaeology and Okwui Enwezor Postdoctoral Fellow at The Africa Institute.
The group explored the building’s distinctive design and facilities, including the public art library, which features artist books, exhibition catalogs, and Sharjah Art Foundation publications in both Arabic and English.
The Flying Saucer is also one of the venues for Sharjah Biennial 16, themed to carry, which runs through June 15, 2025.
The visit offered students practical insight into how exhibition spaces function within contemporary museology.
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