Housed in an imposing new building in the heart of Old Muscat, the National Museum makes a fitting consort for the Sultan's Palace opposite. The emphasis of this contemporary museum is on quality rather than quantity, with space, light and height used to enhance the selective displays showcasing the heritage of Oman. Giant screens and high-tech devices bring the artefacts alive. There's a particularly strong and innovative multimedia section on maritime history.
National Museum
Top choice in Muscat
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
1.94 MILES
Many people come to Mutrah Corniche just to visit the souq, which retains the chaotic interest of a traditional Arab market albeit housed under modern…
13.15 MILES
Quietly imposing from the outside, this glorious piece of modern Islamic architecture was a gift to the nation from Sultan Qaboos to mark his 30th year of…
0.3 MILES
If you stand by the harbour wall on Mirani St, the building to the right with the delightful mushroom pillars in blue and gold is the Sultan’s Palace. On…
2.08 MILES
Mutrah stretches along an attractive corniche of latticed buildings and mosques; it looks spectacular at sunset when the light casts shadows across the…
0.32 MILES
In a beautifully restored house, this much-loved privately owned museum exhibits Omani heritage in thematic displays of traditional handicrafts, furniture…
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10.46 MILES
Beyond Mutrah, the headland close to Muscat shatters into a series of khors (inlets) and bandars (natural harbours), the most extensive of which is Bandar…
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27.75 MILES
This 2km corniche, to the west of Seeb, has a landscaped area for walking, enjoying sea views, sniffing drying sardines and watching the fishermen mending…
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26.47 MILES
Between the main road and the sea, this traditional souq is housed under some makeshift awnings in a sandy-coloured complex of buildings just off the…
Nearby Muscat attractions
0.25 MILES
With galleries detailing relations between the two countries, this museum provides an interesting snapshot of mostly 19th-century colonial life in Muscat…
0.3 MILES
If you stand by the harbour wall on Mirani St, the building to the right with the delightful mushroom pillars in blue and gold is the Sultan’s Palace. On…
0.32 MILES
In a beautifully restored house, this much-loved privately owned museum exhibits Omani heritage in thematic displays of traditional handicrafts, furniture…
0.38 MILES
Sixteenth-century Al Mirani Fort was built by the Portuguese at the same time as nearby Al Jalali Fort. Although closed to the public, its presence looms…
0.43 MILES
Guarding the entrance to the harbour to the east, Al Jalali Fort was built during the Portuguese occupation in the 1580s on Arab foundations. The fort is…
0.59 MILES
Straddling the road between the Corniche and the old walled city, this museum, with the original gates used until the 1970s to keep land-bound marauders…
0.96 MILES
Kalbuh Bay Park juts into a sea that's boiling with sardines. Located at the end of the Corniche, it makes a good pausing place on a hike between Mutrah…
1.2 MILES
Beyond Mutrah Fort, the Corniche leads to the leafy Al Riyam Park, with fine views of the harbour from the giant ornamental incense burner. There is a…