Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi, president and director of the Sharjah Art Foundation and a member of the Sharjawi royal family, has been appointed as president of the Sharjah Museums Authority. In her post, she will oversee 16 museums across Sharjah with purviews including Islamic art and culture, archaeology, heritage, science, marine life, and history.
The appointment—issued by Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah—applies to an enterprise founded in 2006 as an autonomous government authority. Part of its mission statement reads: “Our vision is to be a cultural beacon that enhances Sharjah’s identity locally and internationally and contribute in nurturing a community aware of museums’ importance as a cultural, educational and enjoyable destination.”
As reported by Abu Dhabi–based newspaper the National, under Sheikha Hoor’s leadership the Sharjah Art Foundation, behind the closely watched Sharjah Biennial, “has grown into one of the region’s most important contemporary art institutions, with a programme that includes exhibitions, commissions, residencies, publications, performances, screenings and education initiatives.”
Sheikha Hoor is also affiliated with the Sharjah Architecture Triennial; The Africa Institute, Global Studies University; and University of the Arts Sharjah. Internationally, she has served as artistic director of the Aichi Triennale 2025 in Japan and the 2026 Sydney Biennale in Australia.
