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SHARJAH / WAM
Sharjah Museums Authority (SMA) will be extending its ongoing exhibition titled “Sharjah Air Station: A Historical Glimpse of the First Landing” at Al Mahatta Museum.
The exhibition initially launched last year to celebrate Emirates Civil Aviation Day and the anniversary of the landing of the first aircraft ‘Hanno’ at Al Mahatta in Sharjah on October 5, 1932, will now remain open until July 31 of next year.
The exhibition narrates the fascinating tale of Hanno aircraft’s initial landing at the air station and traces the evolution of flights to and from Sharjah, covering multiple international destinations until 1977 before relocating the airport based on an Emiri Decree by HH Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, in 2000 that saw the airport being expanded, modernised with cutting-edge architectural and engineering features and its capacity increased.
Aisha Rashid Deemas, Director General of Sharjah Museums Authority, affirmed that holding the exhibition is a tribute to the substantial progress made in aviation. She noted the seminal moment in 1932 when Sharjah’s Al Mahatta Airport welcomed its first aircraft, underlining that this event transcends being a mere historical recollection as it epitomises the leadership and expertise the United Arab Emirates has demonstrated in the aviation and air transport sector.
Deemas pointed out that the exhibition chronicles the genesis of the Sharjah Air Station in 1932 and tracks its evolution and unique attributes through an array of historical photographs, and documents, including the initial agreement that sanctioned the air station’s establishment in Sharjah, as well as the various phases of its construction.
The Al Mahatta Museum in Sharjah, UAE, houses a variety of exhibits on the history of aviation, including a scale model of the airport runway, a miniature replica of a Hanno aircraft, and a curated selection of photographs documenting the historic landing. The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions and screens a documentary video capturing the inaugural landing of the Hanno aircraft.
To mark the 91st anniversary of the inaugural plane landing at Al Mahatta, the museum is hosting a “Treasure Hunt Challenge” and offering a virtual tour of its extensive collection. On UAE Civil Aviation Day, the museum was opened to the public free of charge.