Muscat: In 2023, the number of visitors to the Oman Across Ages Museum exceeded 350,000, with 95 percent of them being Omanis.
Engineer Al Yaqzan bin Abdullah Al Harithi, the Director General of the Oman Across Ages Museum, highlighted the museum's strategic location in the heart of the Al Dakhiliyah Governorate, specifically in the Wilayat of Manah. This advantageous position, coupled with its proximity to various tourist attractions in the governorate, has contributed to the museum's success. Visitors from all governorates, including those on organized trips by institutions and educational institutions, come to experience the museum.
Al Harithi emphasized that the museum's halls offer a captivating narrative journey through time, covering Oman's geological formation, history, heritage, modern renaissance, and future vision. The museum showcases different pavilions representing significant periods such as the Stone Age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age. It also features sections dedicated to the conversion to Islam, the Ya'aribah state, and the Busaidi state. The presence of the Sultan's collection within the museum serves as a major attraction for all enthusiasts.
The Director General also announced the museum's plans to exhibit a new collection in the coming months. Notably, this collection includes the stick presented by His Majesty Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik during the museum's inauguration in March of the previous year. This stick holds historical significance as it was previously owned by Sultan Qaboos bin Said, who kindly laid the foundation stone for the museum.
The “Museum Building Conference,” an international conference focused on heritage and tourism, will be hosted by the museum at the end of February. Participants of the conference will also have the opportunity to visit the museum, which is being organized by the German University and various government institutions. The museum actively seeks out such conferences, having previously participated in the World Council of Museums meeting in Doha and the Museum Building Conference in Belgium. These engagements allow the museum to showcase its offerings, establish collaborations with international institutions, and attract activities, exhibitions, and conferences to the Sultanate of Oman.
According to the Director General of the Oman Across Ages Museum, Al Harithi, the museum currently boasts one of the largest restoration, preservation, and preservation laboratories in the Sultanate of Oman. The museum is actively engaged in restoring a significant collection of artifacts and possesses specialized restoration programs. It also collaborates with experts from around the world for restoration work. Additionally, the museum has a program dedicated to documenting manuscripts and registering collectibles. In January, the museum will host an international photographer specializing in photographing collectibles to conduct a training course for national cadres in the museum sector in the Sultanate of Oman.
Al Harithi further emphasized that the museum actively collaborated with government and private institutions to organize a diverse range of activities. These included commemorating international and local events such as International Museum Day and Arabic Language Day, as well as hosting the Oman Across Ages Symposium and various other programs that catered to all segments of society. The museum successfully engaged students through a series of educational workshops, resulting in increased occupancy and a stronger sense of belonging among visitors.
He highlighted the museum's knowledge center, which regularly conducted weekly activities and offered unique experiences during significant occasions. Close collaboration with the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism enabled the establishment of tailored programs for tourists, particularly those visiting the Al Dakhiliyah Governorate.
Furthermore, the museum had the privilege of hosting a meeting of tourism ministers from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. This gathering sparked the proposal for Sur to be designated as the capital of Arab tourism in 2024.
Engineer Al Yaqzan Al Harithi proudly stated that the museum had achieved a 100 percent Omanisation rate. The recruitment process prioritized the youth demographic, injecting vitality into the museum through their creative contributions. This vibrant energy was evident in the museum's notable progress over the past nine months.
