Muscat – The National Museum on Wednesday inaugurated the exhibition ‘Russia and the Middle East: International Relations and Cultural Influences’, featuring a distinguished selection of works from the Moscow Kremlin Museums.

The opening ceremony was held under the patronage of H H Dr Mona bint Fahd al Said, Assistant Vice-Chancellor for International Cooperation at Sultan Qaboos University and Vice-Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the National Museum.

The exhibition forms part of the celebrations marking 40 years of diplomatic relations between Oman and Russia, and is one of the flagship events of the Russian Seasons cultural programme being hosted by Oman through April 3, 2026.

Underscoring the growing cultural partnership between the two countries, the exhibition follows the National Museum’s successful presentation of ‘Silver Splendor: Collections from the Omani Court’ at the Moscow Kremlin Museums in July 2024, which showcased masterpieces of Omani silver craftsmanship and historic artefacts linked to Omani sultans in Muscat and Zanzibar.

The new Muscat exhibition brings together more than 80 rare historical and artistic objects, some displayed outside Russia for the first time, while others have remained within the Kremlin’s collections for centuries. The displays include weapons, armour, decorative pieces and royal artefacts, along with works illustrating the influence of Eastern art on jewellery and weaponry at the Russian court in the 16th and 17th centuries. Items documenting the historic export of Omani frankincense to Russia are also featured.

Oleg Vladimirovich Levin, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Oman, said cultural cooperation between the two countries continues to deepen, reflecting the strong ties between their peoples. He described the National Museum’s hosting of the exhibition as “a significant milestone” in a shared cultural journey and commended the sustained joint efforts in organising artistic and museum events throughout the year. Culture, he said, remains “a lasting bridge for communication and understanding between nations”.

Dr Elena Gagarina, Director-General of the Moscow Kremlin Museums, noted that the exhibition serves as an important tribute to four decades of Oman–Russia diplomatic relations.

The Moscow Kremlin Museums welcome around two million visitors each year and house over 160,000 works of art, in addition to 4,000 pieces permanently displayed in the Armoury. Their collections span a vast historical timeline, from before the third millennium BC to the modern era, with a strong focus on medieval and modern Russian history.