Oman’s latest museum Oman Throughout the Ages is an absolute should on our checklist of issues to do within the Sultanate. It’s been created with the identical wow issue you’d anticipate of museums within the neighbouring UAE with wonderful storytelling to attraction to guests younger and never so younger.
The museum opened in March 2023 and is a wonderful spring board for exploring the remainder of the nation. It units the scene with hi-tech shows concerning the nation’s historical past, tradition, panorama and politics.
I prefer it a lot that I’ve been thrice because it opened taking a pal, my circle of relatives and our visiting dad and mom. This publish consolidates our expertise to supply helpful data for vacationers and residents, significantly households, who’re considering of visiting Oman Throughout the Ages.
*This publish comprises affiliate hyperlinks*
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 encircling Hajar Mountains, therefore the dramatically angular exterior.
Inside there’s 9,000sqm of exhibition area in addition to convention services, a library and analysis centre, cafes and a restaurant. Exterior you’ll be able to stroll by gardens bordered by lakes and Aflaj-like channels (Aflaj is the title for Oman’s UNESCO recognised irrigation programs).
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 components, 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 concerning the creation of irrigation programs, 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 hundreds of years in the past, interactive shows, life-sized fashions and artefacts collected from everywhere in the nation.
The Renaissance Gallery is the one I discover most fascinating as you be taught concerning the fast modernisation of Oman underneath Sultan Qaboos bin Mentioned and his successor Sultan Haitham bin Tariq.
There are additionally interactive displays about Oman’s society, tradition, trade and media.
Oman Throughout the Ages additionally has an enormous quantity of indoor area for touring exhibitions and out of doors area for occasions.
There’s an inner courtyard with mirror pool and you may stroll all the way in which across the outdoors of the constructing the place there are examples of petroglyphs (Omani rock artwork), reflection swimming pools and gardens stuffed with crops you discover rising within the mountains and wadis.
Strolling across the outdoors of the museum is one of the best ways to understand the mountain-inspired design with its sharp angles and towering options. Nevertheless there is no such thing as a shade, so it’s extra comfy to discover this area within the winter season.
It’s free to stroll across the museum grounds.
How household pleasant is Oman Throughout the Ages?
It is 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 youngsters.
A few of my ladies’ favorite issues to do are recreating petroglyphs, defending an historic fort underneath siege, matching folks with jobs in modern-day Oman and dressing folks in conventional garments.
All of those are offered as interactive video games, making the museum expertise customisable.
Youngsters aged 5 and up will get quite a bit out of visiting.
Bear in mind that you could’t carry meals or drink into the exhibition areas so have your snacks earlier than you enter. There’s numerous areas to sit down and eat outdoors the exhibitions.
How accessible is the museum?
There are lifts between the completely different ranges, accessible bathrooms, free to make use of wheelchairs, Arabic Braille and tactile data boards.
All data is in Arabic and English.
You may as well 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 buy moderately priced gentle meals, drinks and sweets.
We’ve used this every time we’ve got been to the museum. There’s additionally a restaurant in the 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 aside from Fridays when it’s open from 1.30pm to 5pm. The museum’s different services, 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 more likely to shut on the primary day of Eid al Fitr Adha and Eid al Adha.
Keep watch over the museum’s Instagram web page for opening updates.
How a lot is entry to the museum?
Once we visited in 2023/24, entry price 5 OMR for vacationers, 2 OMR for residents and 1 OMR for residents of Oman and GCC nations.
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 automotive. 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 have to 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 path. This is able to be a great way to achieve the museum if you happen to supposed to discover extra within the Nizwa space.
You may test the price of the taxi journey and e book your trip utilizing the Otaxi app.
Extra helpful data
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 must gown modestly, overlaying your knees and shoulders.
- There’s a cloakroom the place you’ll be able to depart luggage free of charge.
Extra important studying
In the event you’re searching for extra concepts for locations to go to in Oman I’ve acquired you lined!
One thing actually helpful that I purchased earlier than we moved to Oman was the Lonely Planet Oman UAE & Arabian Peninsular* information e book. 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 youngsters in my complete journey information for households.
Disclosure: this publish comprises affiliate hyperlinks marked with *. In the event you click on on one among these hyperlinks and make a purchase order I imply earn some fee. This doesn’t have an effect on the worth you pay.
