Oman’s Newest Museum Lures Tourists to Historical Cities
Oman’s newest museum aims to attract tourists to the sultanate’s historical cities.
The Oman Across Ages Museum is in Manah, the country’s capital in the 16th century, and just 15 minutes by car from the ancient city of Nizwa.
The museum’s foundation stone was laid by the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said in 2015. His vision was of an interactive museum that showed Oman’s heritage and achievements during the Renaissance period, along with the country’s geology and topography.
“Manah is the old capital city of Oman and is close to some iconic heritage and cultural sites in the country such as forts, castles, aflaj and old villages,” the museum’s director general Al Yaqdhan Al Harthi said. “If you look at Oman’s map, Manah is in the centre, just an hour and half drive from Muscat in the heart of Oman’s interior.”
Over the centuries, Oman has been influenced by numerous cultures — Arab, Persian, African, and others — all of which have left lasting imprints giving rise to a unique and vibrant society that is rich in heritage.
The new museum offers a glimpse into this fascinating history, as well as more modern achievements.
With a design inspired by the Al Hajar Mountains, it covers 300,000 square metres with a complex of buildings making up 66,591 square metres of that space.
