Al Noor Island Sharjah: Butterfly Garden and Night Light Show, 2026 Ticket Guide
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Al Noor Island is a small, car-free island in Khalid Lagoon in Sharjah. It was developed by Shurooq and has been open since 2015. By day the star is the Butterfly House, where Visit Sharjah counts more than 500 butterflies from over 20 species. After dark, light installations and sculptures turn the island into what its own site calls a festival of light. The island is open from 09:00 to 23:00 on weekdays and until midnight at weekends. The Butterfly House is open daily from 09:00 to 18:00. Allow an hour for the butterflies and an hour and a half for the evening walk. It is a good stop for families and anyone after a quiet evening in Sharjah.
Getting to the island
According to Visit Sharjah, a pedestrian bridge behind Al Noor Mosque connects the car-free island to the mainland. The island's address is Buhairah Corniche Road, Khalid Lagoon. Visit Sharjah also mentions a 3.5 km walkway on the island that runners use in the evenings.
The Butterfly House
Visit Sharjah presents the Butterfly House as a fine example of modern architecture. The outer structure is perforated steel, designed to let sunlight in, and the temperature and humidity inside are controlled. More than 500 butterflies from over 20 species fly freely inside, including the Tailed Jay, Emerald Swallowtail, Pink Rose and Malachite. The island's own site adds that children can learn about a butterfly's journey from caterpillar to chrysalis to flight. According to the island's about page, the building has won several design awards, including the WAN Metal in Architecture Award.
Our product page puts the visit at about an hour. Online booking for this experience is not open on our site. The experience page has a request form. You leave your phone number, and our sales team will call you.
Art and sculpture around the island
Al Noor Island's own site lists six installations placed around its gardens:
- Torus by David Harber: a mirrored tube with convex curves, in mirror-polished stainless steel.
- Flutter by Chris Wood: optical dichroic panels and LED elements. It hides a coded message honouring the 9,000-mile migration of the painted lady butterfly.
- Fossil Rocks: pieces of rock crystal, amethyst and petrified wood placed among the trees.
- OVO: an egg-shaped installation bringing together wood, LED light and water.
- Columns by Austrian designer Susanne Schmögner: a row of brightly painted columns.
- The Swing by Azza Al Qubaisi: seven abstract stainless steel pieces cut with ghaf tree and palm leaf motifs. It stands on the island's western shore, looking out over Khalid Lagoon.
The night light show
The island's own site describes the night like this. Light shows bounce off silver metal sculptures, and rainbows shimmer over the pools at dusk. A children's play area glows in soft light, and low lanterns line the shore of the bay. Visit Sharjah says the light and sound installations turn the island into a fairyland at night. Our product page puts this evening walk at about an hour and a half. Online booking is not open for this experience either. The experience page has a request form.
What else is on the island
The island's own site also lists a children's play area, Noor Cafe by the lagoon and Sky Watchers, a stargazing programme with powerful telescopes. There are two entry options, the Standard Pass and the Explorer Pass, and occasional programmes such as sunrise yoga. Visit Sharjah adds a literature pavilion. It also notes that the island hosts the International Storytelling Festival once a year, with tales told in Arabic and English. These are not part of the two experiences on our site, but they are worth knowing if you plan a longer visit.
For more on Sharjah and other family ideas, see our city guide and family holidays page.
Where is Al Noor Island?
In Khalid Lagoon, Sharjah. Visit Sharjah says a pedestrian bridge behind Al Noor Mosque connects it to the mainland.
What time does Al Noor Island open?
The island's own site lists 09:00 to 23:00 on weekdays and 09:00 to midnight at weekends. The Butterfly House is open daily from 09:00 to 18:00.
How many butterflies are in the Butterfly House?
More than 500 butterflies from over 20 species, according to Visit Sharjah.
How much time should I allow?
Our product pages put the Butterfly House at about an hour and the evening light walk at about an hour and a half.
Can I book online right now?
No. Online booking is not open for these two experiences. Each experience page has a request form: you leave your phone number, and our sales team will call you. This is not a booking, and no payment is taken.
