The National Museum represented by Jamal bin Hasan AL Mosawi participated in the Culture Day of the Syrian Arab Republic from (24 – 28 November 2019 CE). A tripartite discussion was held at the National Museum in Damascus between Dr Mahmoud Hammoud, Director General of Antiquities and Museums in the sisterly Syrian Arab Republic, Professor Dr Mikhail Piotrovsky, Director General of the Hermitage Museum in friendly Russian Federation, and Jamal bin Hassan Al Mosawi, Director General of the National Museum, to discuss the technical and organizational aspects of preservation and conservation of the Syrian damaged museum artefacts.

Mr. Jamal AL Mosawi presented a lecture entitled “Perspectives of the Omani Cultural Heritage based on the Museographical Context and Learning and community outreach of the National Museum- Sultanate of Oman`.

The agenda included highlights on the efforts of restoring the damaged historical and archaeological landmarks during the year of crisis, and specifically the efforts made by the Directorate of Syrian Antiquities and Museums and the Aga Khan Foundation in Canada.

Furthermore, His Excellency Muhammad Al-Ahmad, Minister of Culture, honoured Jamal bin Hassan Al-Mousawi, Director General of the National Museum, in the framework of the Ministry’s celebrations of the Culture Day, which was organized at Dar Al-Assad for Culture and Arts in Damascus, and this came under the patronage of His Excellency Eng. Imad Khamis, Chairman of the Council of Ministers in the sisterly Syrian Arab Republic. Besides, Professor Dr Mikhail Piotrovsky, Director General of the Hermitage Museum of the Russian Federation and a member of the Board of Trustees of the National Museum, was honoured in appreciation of the efforts made in preserving and conserving the damaged Syrian cultural heritage during the years of the crisis, and the cultural cooperation between the Omani and Syrian sides.

It is worth mentioning that the National Museum, established by Royal Decree in 2013 and opened July 30, 2016, is the Sultanate`s flagship cultural institution, showcasing the nation’s cultural heritage from the earliest human settlement in the Oman Peninsula some two million years ago through to the present day.

As a national institution with global outreach, the Museum is dedicated to ensuring Oman’s cultural heritage is understood and appreciated not only within the Sultanate, but also internationally. Further, it aims to provide opportunities for cultural expression, innovation, and the transfer of traditional skills and knowledge from one generation to the next.

The museum is located in the heart of Muscat in a purpose-designed building. The total area of the building is 13,700 square metres, including 4,000 square metres allocated for 14 permanent galleries – The Land and the People Gallery, Maritime History Gallery, Arms and Armour Gallery, Aflaj Gallery, Currency Gallery, Prehistory and Ancient History Galleries, Splendours of Islam Gallery, Oman and the World Gallery, Intangible Heritage Gallery and Renaissance Gallery, among others. A further 400 square metres are allocated for temporary exhibitions.

The National Museum houses more than 6,000 objects and offers 33 digital immersive experiences, a fully equipped Learning Centre, state-of-the-art conservation facilities, a UHD cinema and discovery areas for children. It features an integrated infrastructure for special needs and is the first museum in the Middle East to adopt Arabic Braille script for the visually impaired. It also houses the region’s first open-plan museum storage concept, where visitors can learn about the various processes that artefacts go through before they are put on display.