Sunday 29 / December / 2024
Muscat: The Sultanate of Oman, represented by the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism (MoHT), joined other countries around the world in celebrating International Museum Day on Saturday, which falls on May 18 each year. This year's theme is ‘Museums for Education and Research,’ highlighting the crucial role of museums in education and research.
The celebration of International Museum Day this year aims to emphasise the importance of museums as dynamic educational institutions that promote learning, discovery, awareness, and cultural understanding.
Statistics from the MoHT indicate that the total number of government museums in Oman reached 11, while the total number of licensed museums and heritage houses from the MoHT amounted to 19. Additionally, the total number of visitors to the Natural History Museum of Oman during 2023 was 16,957, while the total number of visitors to the Fatah Al Khair until the end of 2023 was 10,790.
Moreover, the total number of visitors to the Land of Frankincense Museum during the same period was 86,079.
The MoHT organises numerous events, seminars, and training workshops in various governorates of Oman in conjunction with the International Museum Day.
The International Museum Day, established by the International Council of Museums (ICOM), serves as a global platform to promote the role of museums in cultural exchange and development.
Efforts from museums worldwide will converge to organise events, exhibitions, and educational programmes focusing on this theme, emphasising the museums' active and valuable participation in society.
The International Museum Day has been supporting a range of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals since 2020. This year, the focus will be on ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all, fostering industry, innovation, and building resilient and flexible educational infrastructure, as well as promoting sustainable and inclusive industrialisation and encouraging innovation.
The MoHT affirmed its commitment to activating the role of museums in the Sultanate of Oman to enhance knowledge and science among researchers and visitors.
Museums are regarded as important knowledge sources contributing to the achievement of various strategic programmes of the 10th Five-Year Development Plan and the "Oman Vision 2040."
They are also seen as effective means to preserve cultural heritage, ensure its sustainability, and benefit from it in creating direct and indirect employment opportunities. Moreover, they contribute to enhancing local content and cementing their role as tourist destinations. The MoHT, through several projects, aims to develop and modernize these destinations.
Since the beginning of the Renaissance era, Oman has recognised the importance of advancing museums. This recognition has led to the establishment of several archaeological missions in various locations aimed at uncovering the most significant archaeological treasures in Oman.
The objective is to display these treasures in a museum system that aligns with Omani cultural history and ensures their sustainability according to best practices.
The MoHT, represented by the Directorate General of Museums, is engaged in several projects related to the development of the museum system. These include upgrading the exhibition at the Museum of the Frankincense Land to achieve site sustainability, fostering local community development to keep pace with major advancements in the museum field, and presenting heritage in a more engaging manner through the enhancement of internal museum content, preparation of designs and display methods, introduction of new interactive tools, and strengthening and upgrading security systems.
The MoHT is also undertaking a project to establish museum exhibition halls in several forts and castles to maximise the utilisation of historical landmarks as tourist destinations, acquainting visitors with their historical and archaeological significance.
Additionally, the MoHT supports museums and private heritage houses facing operational challenges to enhance their presence on the tourism map as attractive tourist destinations, ensuring the sustainability of the archaeological and historical artifacts in those museums by safeguarding them from threats.
This initiative also aims to boost the job market and activate the role of local communities.
The project to establish the Maritime History Museum is one of the key initiatives being implemented by the Directorate General of Museums, aligning with the strategic programs outlined in the 10th Five-Year Development Plan for the "Oman Vision 2040."
It aims to showcase Omani maritime history through a collection of artifacts and museum interpretation methods, reflecting the expertise and achievements of Omanis in maritime navigation and Oman's historical relationships with various countries and civilisations.
Moreover, the establishment of this project has involved hosting several specialised international expert teams renowned for their pioneering museum experiences. Workshops, meetings, and sessions have been organised with national expertise to contribute to the project.
The rehabilitation project of the Sohar Fort Museum, inaugurated in 1992, stands as one of the foremost developmental endeavors in this phase.
Its objective is to highlight the history of Sohar, its historical landmarks, and its civilisational ties with the world, particularly its renown in trade and maritime leadership. The MoHT is currently devising a plan for the rehabilitation and development of the museum following the completion of the castle's restoration and the refurbishment of its various facilities.
Moreover, Oman boasts numerous museums housing significant treasures. Among these, the "Oman Across Ages Museum" in Manah, Ad Dakhiliyah Governorate, is notable. This museum recounts Oman's history spanning over 800 million years, detailing human history on its soil through reports and scientific research conducted across different time periods, culminating in the era of the blessed Omani Renaissance.
The Oman National Museum stands as one of the foremost cultural landmarks in the Sultanate of Oman, dedicated to showcasing the cultural heritage treasures of Oman.
Established by Royal Decree No. (62/2013) issued on the 16th of Muharram 1435 AH, corresponding to November 20, 2013, the museum aims to fulfill its educational, cultural, and humanitarian mission by instilling noble Omani values, fostering belonging, and enhancing public awareness among citizens, residents, and visitors, all for the sake of Oman, its history, heritage, and culture.
This is embodied in the museum's exhibition experience spread across 14 galleries, comprising over 7,000 carefully selected artifacts and 33 interactive digital display systems.
Additionally, the National Museum includes a learning centre equipped to the highest international standards, facilities for preservation and preventive conservation, fully equipped laboratories, an audiovisual presentation hall with UHD technology, and an open storage system. It is also the first museum in the Middle East to employ a Braille system in Arabic language.
The Museum of the Frankincense Land, located in the Al Baleed Archaeological Park in Salalah, officially opened on July 23, 2007.
It currently provides a comprehensive overview of Oman's rich history through various ages, consisting of two exhibition halls: (Maritime Hall & History Hall). The museum exhibits a variety of archaeological discoveries, ship models, forts, castles, watchtowers, drawings, images, paintings, manuscripts, multimedia displays, and films.
As part of the MoHT’s plan to enhance the museum system, a project is underway to rehabilitate the museum's displays and implement best practices in the museum field to present the museum in a new light, contributing to the enhancement of its historical and cultural significance.
The Fatah Al Khair in the Wilayat of Sur, which was inaugurated in November 2021, contributes to highlighting the components and importance of Omani cultural heritage and maritime heritage in Sur, while enhancing public awareness among visitors and residents.
Fatah Al Khair also houses some of the tools used in shipbuilding and various ship parts, recounting the rich history of the Fatah Al Khair ship and the maritime voyages it undertook.
The Natural History Museum of Oman is one of the most important museums in the country, housing exhibits representing various aspects of life since its inception in its various forms on the lands of the Sultanate of Oman.
The exhibition includes rare artifacts, such as remnants of a fossilized tree discovered in the Al Haqf area dating back to over 260 million years ago, as well as fossilised coral remnants dating back around 270 million years found in Wadi Al-Sahtan in the Wilayat of Rustaq.
Additionally, there are remnants of teeth belonging to a primate species. The museum also features aspects of the lives of various reptiles, beautiful butterfly species, and other living creatures inhabiting the deserts of Oman, along with numerous remnants of trees and fossilized bones.
The Omani and French Museum, located near the Qasr Al Alam Palace in Muscat, is housed in one of the historic houses with an age of over 170 years.
Sultan Sayyid Faisal bin Turki showed great affection for France, and in 1896 donated a palace in Muscat, to serve as the headquarters of the French consulate.
The museum consists of seven halls showcasing various exhibits, including historical documents commemorating the trade relations between the Sultanate of Oman and the French Republic, a valuable collection of postage stamps, traditional costumes, and jewellery from Omani coastal cities such as Muscat, Salalah, Sur, and the wilayats of Al Batinah northern and southern.
It also displays French attire from the cities of Marseille and Lorient, with which Muscat had numerous trade exchanges. The MoHT is currently implementing a comprehensive program to renovate and maintain the museum, as well as to renew the museum exhibition to preserve the authenticity and historical significance of the building.
The Sultan’s Armed Forces Museum, officially opened on December 11, 1988, in Bait Al Falaj Fort, renovated and refurbished during the modern Omani renaissance, stands as a testimony to Oman's military history from pre-Islamic times to the present era.
The museum halls contain weapons, photographs, and historical documents transporting visitors through those eras, illustrating tales of victories and military events depicted in each hall. Visitors will also observe the significant development of the Omani military forces post-1970. Additionally, the museum includes an outdoor exhibition featuring various military equipment previously used by the Sultan's Armed Forces, including vehicles, tanks, aircraft, and ships.
Moreover, the museum houses a significant collection showcasing illustrious military aspects of Omani history from various periods, encompassing traditional and modern weapons, documents, manuscripts, clothing, machinery, and defense systems, narrating the journey of the Omani Armed Forces throughout history in both word and image.
