A virtual workshop that will examine the life and accomplishments of Arab mathematician, astronomer, and physicist of the Islamic Golden Age, Ḥasan Ibn Al-Haytham, will be hosted at the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation on Saturday, 30th January, 2021.

A part of the Sharjah Museums Authority’s (SMA) monthly online events, the one-hour workshop, which starts at 16:30, has been designed for children six years of age and their families.

The programme will kick off with the life story of Ibn Al-Haytham who was referred to as the father of modern optics, followed by a highlight of his achievements and scientific experiments involving light and vision.

Participants will also learn about different collections on display at Ibn Al-Haitham Gallery of Science and Technology hall, focusing on works of numerous Islamic scholars and inventors in various fields, including architecture, nautical navigation, medicine, geometry and chemistry.

Objects showcased include miniature models of Islamic landmarks such as Shehzade Mosque in Istanbul, Qalawun Hospital in Cairo and Sultan Bayezid Hospital in Edrin Turkey, which used music in the treatment of people with mental disorders.

Also on display are models of fortresses and military equipment once used in the past to provide protection, such as trebuchets, crossbows, torpedoes and the Ottoman Rocket.

At the end of the programme, participants will learn about a range of Ibn Al-Haitham’s experiments involving optics.

In addition to its monthly line up of workshops and lectures, which were introduced last year to keep the Authority’s audience engaged, SMA offers art lovers a selection of exhibitions at Sharjah Art Museum, including "A Century in Flux Highlights from the Barjeel Art Foundation Exhibition" which features a selection of artworks by Arab artists that have helped shape art practices in the Arab region.

Other exhibitions include, "The Modern and Contemporary Arab Art Collection" running until 31st December, 2021, that displays paintings and sculptures by renowned artists in the Middle East including Abdulqader Al Rais, Louay Kayali, Bashir Sinwar, Faiq Hassan, Mohammed Yusuf and Ismail Fatah Al-Turk.

Next month will see the opening of SMA’s latest exhibition held as part of its "Lasting Impressions" series that is focused on the life and unique works of the late Algerian artist Baya Maheiddine.