Muscat – Oman, represented by the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, celebrated the International Day of Museums, held annually on or around May 18, under the slogan “The Power of Museums”.

The sultanate marked the day with the aim of attracting the world’s attention to the importance of museums and their cultural and social role to the community.

A statement issued by the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism (MHT) said that ‘the celebration of the International Day of Museums aims to raise awareness of the fact that museums are important institutions for cultural exchange, enriching cultures, and developing mutual understanding and cooperation between people’.

According to the National Centre For Statistics and Information (NCSI), 113,600 people visited museums in 2021 of which 49 per cent visited the National Museum alone.

The sultanate has many popular museums such as the National Museum, the Children’s Museum, Bait al Barandah, the Al Saidia School Museum of Education, and Bait al Baranda among others.