Oman Across Ages Museum.. History of Sultanate unveiled

The Oman Across Ages Museum, opened in 2023, allows visitors to metaphorically cross space-time and view the past, present, and promising future of the Sultanate. Using the latest technology, such as drop maps, screens, virtual reality (VR), and other tools, the museum -- spread across an area of 800 square meters, struck awe and administration in the hearts of those visiting the facility. Speaking to KUNA, Engineer Al-Yaqthan Al-Harthi -- Director General of the Museum -- said that the museum idea originated in the era of the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said, who issued a decree calling for the establishment of the facility. He laid the cornerstone of the Museum in 2015. Mainly targeting the youth, without excluding other age groups, the Museum tells the story of Oman thousands of years in the past through archeological findings and discoveries, revealed Al-Harthi. He indicated that the Museum progresses through time, showing the changing natural scenery -- mountains and lands -- and reaches the initial stage s of the Sultanate of Oman, which began in 1970 and continues to tell the possible stories of upcoming success and development. In regards to the design, Al-Harthi revealed that rocks from nearby mountains were used as external material for the buildings, adding that copper was also used in the building's exterior in homage to the country's ancient past as the land of copper. The Director General mentioned that along with other construction materials, the Museum is environmentally friendly and used clever architectural designs to minimize pollutant and energy usage, maximizing the use of natural elements to light up the building's Interior. Amongst other wonders, the Museum allows for the training of students, education, and lectures and also has a theater and cinema, he added. Al-Hathri also revealed that the Museum has a collection of over 47,000 books, documents, and research. Back to the theme of the whole Museum, Al-Harthi indicated that archeological findings in the Sultanate pointed to the existen ce of humans in the area in the ancient Stone Age, through the Bronze Age when Oman was known as the "land of copper", into the Iron Age forward. Oman's entering into the fold of Islam, which led to a boost in intellectual and architectural development through evidence of manuscripts and solid findings, affirmed the director who added that Oman in that period began to consolidate commercial relations with other nations in India, China, and eastern Africa. He indicated that various states and kingdoms ruled Oman throughout history, maintaining a solid grip on the land, leading to development in all aspects, and also fending off attacks from invaders like the Portuguese. Al-Harthi touched upon the recent history of the Sultanate, saying that it houses various belongings of late Sultan Qaboos bin Said including a will with the late Sultan decreed the establishment of the Museum, a matter implemented by current Sultan Haitham bin Tareq. What made the Museum a thrilling experience is the interactivity aspect o f the visit, asserted Al-Harthi, ensuring that visitors would always remember their experience in the Oman Across the Ages Museum from the moment they enter into the last step they take leaving the facility. Source: Kuwait News Agency