Oman’s latest museum Oman Throughout the Ages is an absolute should on our record of issues to do within the Sultanate. It’s been created with the identical wow issue you’d count on of museums within the neighbouring UAE with wonderful storytelling to enchantment to guests younger and never so younger.
The museum opened in March 2023 and is a superb spring board for exploring the remainder of the nation. It units the scene with hi-tech shows in regards to the nation’s historical past, tradition, panorama and politics.
I prefer it a lot that I’ve been 3 times because it opened taking a buddy, my family and our visiting dad and mom. This publish consolidates our expertise to offer helpful info for vacationers and residents, significantly households, who’re considering of visiting Oman Throughout the Ages.
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Who designed the Oman Throughout the Ages Museum?
The museum was deigned by Australian architect agency Cox Structure. Their temporary was to create a spot that mirrored the encompassing Hajar Mountains, therefore the dramatically angular exterior.
Inside there’s 9,000sqm of exhibition house in addition to convention amenities, a library and analysis centre, cafes and a restaurant. Outdoors you may stroll by gardens bordered by lakes and Aflaj-like channels (Aflaj is the identify for Oman’s UNESCO recognised irrigation techniques).
There’s locations to picnic and maintain out of doors occasions within the winter months.
What’s there?
The museum tells the story of Oman’s previous, current and its aspirations for the long run in two elements, the Historical past Gallery and the Renaissance Gallery.
You start with a stroll by pre-historic instances earlier than assembly the nation’s first human inhabitants, studying in regards to the creation of irrigation techniques, the nation’s rise as a maritime nation, its Islamic religion and the pre-Twenty first Century dynasties of Oman’s leaders.
There are walk-in scenes from 1000’s of years in the past, interactive shows, life-sized fashions and artefacts collected from all around the nation.
The Renaissance Gallery is the one I discover most fascinating as you study in regards to the speedy modernisation of Oman beneath Sultan Qaboos bin Mentioned and his successor Sultan Haitham bin Tariq.
There are additionally interactive reveals about Oman’s society, tradition, business and media.
Oman Throughout the Ages additionally has an enormous quantity of indoor house for touring exhibitions and out of doors house for occasions.
There’s an inner courtyard with mirror pool and you may stroll all the way in which across the exterior of the constructing the place there are examples of petroglyphs (Omani rock artwork), reflection swimming pools and gardens filled with vegetation you discover rising within the mountains and wadis.
Strolling across the exterior of the museum is one of the best ways to understand the mountain-inspired design with its sharp angles and towering options. Nevertheless there isn’t any shade, so it’s extra snug to discover this house within the winter season.
It’s free to stroll across the museum grounds.
How household pleasant is Oman Throughout the Ages?
This can be a very family-friendly museum with interactive shows and video games all through. It positively makes our suggestions for locations to go to when in Oman with children.
A few of my women’ favorite issues to do are recreating petroglyphs, defending an historic fort beneath siege, matching folks with jobs in modern-day Oman and dressing folks in conventional garments.
All of those are introduced as interactive video games, making the museum expertise customisable.
Youngsters aged 5 and up will get quite a bit out of visiting.
Remember which you can’t deliver meals or drink into the exhibition areas so have your snacks earlier than you enter. There’s a lot of areas to take a seat and eat exterior the exhibitions.
How accessible is the museum?
There are lifts between the totally different ranges, accessible bogs, free to make use of wheelchairs, Arabic Braille and tactile info boards.
All info is in Arabic and English.
It’s also possible to purchase an audio tour in Arabic and English.
Meals on the museum
There’s a cafe contained in the museum foyer the place you should purchase fairly priced gentle meals, drinks and sweets.
We’ve used this every time we have now been to the museum. There’s additionally a restaurant in direction of the again and a restaurant upstairs.
When is the Oman Throughout the Ages Museum open?
The museum’s everlasting galleries are open day by day from 9am to 5pm apart from Fridays when it’s open from 1.30pm to 5pm. The museum’s different amenities, together with its restaurant, are open till 9pm Saturday to Thursday and till 7pm on Fridays.
Opening instances could also be barely shorter throughout Ramadan and the museum is prone to shut on the primary day of Eid al Fitr Adha and Eid al Adha.
Regulate the museum’s Instagram web page for opening updates.
How a lot is entry to the museum?
After we visited in 2023/24, entry price 5 OMR for vacationers, 2 OMR for residents and 1 OMR for residents of Oman and GCC international locations.
There are decreased charges for kids, college students and senior residents.
How do get to Oman Throughout the Ages
Oman Throughout the Ages Museum is situated in Manah, which is lower than a 20 minute drive from the centre of Nizwa and an hour and 40 minutes from Muscat Worldwide Airport.
It’s best to go to the museum by automobile. There may be free underground parking.
Right here’s the place to search out Oman Throughout the Ages Museum on Google Maps:
Alternatively, you will get a Mwasalat bus (route 54) from Muscat to Nizwa. You then must get a taxi from Nizwa to the museum. A return bus ticket prices lower than 4 OMR per particular person.
There are two buses a day every means on this route and the journey takes about three hours in every route. This could be a great way to achieve the museum for those who supposed to discover extra within the Nizwa space.
You may verify the price of the taxi journey and guide your journey utilizing the Otaxi app.
Extra helpful info
Right here’s another useful issues to know earlier than you go to Oman Throughout the Ages:
There’s a safety scanner on the entrance to the museum.
You need to costume modestly, protecting your knees and shoulders.
There’s a cloakroom the place you may go away luggage totally free.
Extra important studying
For those who’re searching for extra concepts for locations to go to in Oman I’ve obtained you lined!
One thing actually helpful that I purchased earlier than we moved to Oman was the Lonely Planet Oman UAE & Arabian Peninsular* information guide. In addition to details about issues to do in Oman there’s a great deal of nice recommendations on customs and traditions.
Learn extra about visiting Oman with children in my complete journey information for households.
Disclosure: this publish comprises affiliate hyperlinks marked with *. For those who click on on one in all these hyperlinks and make a purchase order I imply earn some fee. This doesn’t have an effect on the worth you pay.