Omanis are justly proud of their heritage and history, which goes back thousands of years. In order to safeguard this precious birthright and the long established traditions of Omani society, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos directed that a Ministry of National Heritage and Culture be established in 1976.
In preparation for the Silver Jubilee, 1994 was declared the Year of National Heritage. Major plans and programmes were initiated to celebrate the occasion.

Manuscripts & Documents

With the cooperation of the public, the Ministry of National Heritage has gathered together no less than 4,300 valuable documents over the years. In 1994, a Manuscripts Competition was held, with prizes being awarded to the three Wilayats submitting the best collection of documents and in 1995, a further 75 came to light. A centre has been established for storing and researching these papers. Omani staff are have been trained to microfilm and to carry out restoration work on them. There is also an Islamic Library containing a wide range of religious works.
In 1998, the Ministry published 23 books on a variety of subjects. Among the new books is a history in three volumes which chronicles the reign of H.H.Sultan Thuwaini bin Said bin Sultan written by the Omani historian Humaid bin Mohammed bin Ruzaiq. The Ministry has also published a guide in Arabic and English for the museum in Sohar fort.

Museums

Several museums are popular with Omani schoolchildren and visitors to the Sultanate. The Omani Museum, established in 1974 at Medinat al -Ilam, has been renovated and is now distinguished by massive wooden entrance door in the Omani tradition. The surroundings have been improved and the layout of exhibits re-arranged and expanded. In Muscat, the Omani-French Museum, which was the French Consul's residence in 1896 has been restored to its former glory. A museum in a modern setting is the Children's Museum, where children can learn through 'hands-on' experience basic scientific principles. The historic fort at Sohar also contains a museum and there are plans to install exhibits in the Cultural Centre in Salalah.

One of the most frequently visited museums, situated within the Ministry's complex, is the Natural History Museum. In 1995, a fossils exhibit was added as a National Day gift to the nation from PDO. This museum, with its whale hall and displays of animals and birds, has an educational purpose as well as being of interest to tourists. Mention should also be made to two places appreciated by visitors but not part of the Ministry: the Sultan's Armed Forces Museum at Bait al -Falaj and the permanent Oil and Gas exhibition at Mina al-Fahal.

In 1998, the total museum attendance was 95,735. The highest attendance, 37,496,was recorded by the Children's Museum.

In 1998, Bait al-Zubair, one of the historic houses in Muscat, was opened to the public after extensive renovation by its owner at his own expense. Displays inside the building include collections of jewellry, weaponry, cosmetics and clothing collected from all over Oman. A small entry fee is charged for this privately run and staffed exhibition.

Exhibitions

The Ministry has organised numerous exhibitions at home and abroad over the years. It organised or participated in more that 29 events in 1998, ranging from bookfairs to cultural displays. In February 1998, a fine display of archaeological finds was exhibited at the Qurum Cultural Club. Oman participated in the Spanish 'Expo' and in 1994 and 1995 held a 'Sea and Forts' exhibition at L'Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris. In October 1995, in accordance with the wishes of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos, an Omani Cultural Exhibition was held at the Congress Building in Washington. It was organised by the Diwan of Royal Court in conjunction with the Ministry of National Heritage & Culture and the Ministry of Information. In 1996, the Ministry participated in exhibitions in the United States, UK, France, Belgium, Italy, Egypt, Morocco, Abu Dhabi as well as in local cultural events and displays.

In April 1997, the Ministry organised an Omani cultural exhibition in Tehran, which displayed the historic links between Oman and Iran and strengthened ties between the two countries.

Forts and Castles

One of the major achievements of the Ministry has been the restoration of over 100 historic forts and castles, most of which are now open to the public as some of Oman's foremost tourist attractions. The painstaking restoration was carried out to preserve a precious and unique part of Oman's heritage, but the time and money spent has been well repaid by the international interest shown in the project. Work continues at Bahla, which has been listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The Ministry recorded a total of 169,440 visitors to forts and castles during 1998. In view of the interest shown by the tourists in these historic sites, the Ministry has been running courses in English and giving lectures to Omani guides and staff responsible for the forts and castles open to the public.

The restoration of Oman's historic buildings has been carried out with Moroccan expertise under an agreement in 1983. There are many other fine buildings worthy of preservations, such as the more modest 19th Century Bait Nasib Khan in Muttrah (now known as Bait al-Turath) which was for many years used by the British Council and is now the headquarters of the Historical Association of Oman.

Archaeology

Oman has numerous important archeological sites, many of which are still being excavated during the winter season. In 1997, no less than 68 ancient sites were identified in the northern part of Jebel Qara in Dhofar. A German team has been investigating the fort at Nizwa, while French and Italian archaeologists have found evidence at Ras-al Junaiz to support the theory found in Greek and Latin writings that Oman traded with India, Mesopotamia and East Africa 3000 years ago. Past discoveries at Ras al-Hamra, Bat, Sohar, and other sites have shed interesting and invaluable light on Oman's early civilizations. The rediscovery of the ancient city of Ubar in the sands on the edge of the Empty Quarter in Dhofar was made possible in 1992 thanks to satellite technology. The Ministry, with the help of a French archaeologist, has prepared a map of all the most important archaeological sites in the Sultanate.

Traditional Crafts

The Ministry is responsible for preserving Oman's arts and crafts. In 1986, a traditional pottery was opened in Bahla and a textile weaving workshop in Sumail. Young Omanis are encouraged to learn and keep alive ancient skills, such as precious metalworks and woodcarving. At Sur, shipbuilding in the traditional manner can be still be seen to this day. Many of the magnificent old wooden ships have disappeared, but the people of Sur have preserved a 220-tonne vessel, the "Fateh al-Khair", on dry land.

The Voyage of the "Sohar"

It was at Sur that the replica of an ocean-going Omani sailing ship was built in 1980 to sail to Guangzhou (Canton). After its epic voyage, the "Sohar" was brought back to Oman and is preserved on land near the al-Bustan Palace Hotel. In 1995, to mark the Silver Jubilee, a monument was constructed in Guangzhou (Canton) commemorating the Voyage of the "Sohar" and the historic links between Oman and China.

Natural History

Since 1985, when the first phase of the Natural History Museum was opened, there has been growing interest in Oman's wildlife heritage and natural environment. Visitors to the museum have steadily increased each year from 11,000 in 1986 to just over 30,000 in 1996. In 1997, a record 31,318 people visited the museum. In 1998, the total number of visitors was 30,832. Schools and Omani families accounted for nearly two-thirds of the visitors,while tourists and expatriate residents made up the remainder.

The diversity of Oman's wildlife is shown in dioramas, displaying 24 mammals, 59 birds, 30 reptiles and hundreds of seashells and insects. A National Herbarium has been established, as well as a botanic garden of Omani trees and shrubs. For the scientists, the museum maintains a wealth of study collections of flora and fauna from Oman. The museum has close links with Sultan Qaboos University and allied scientific institutions in the Arabian Gulf and abroad.

In 1997, the fossilised bones of a dinosaur were uncovered at al-Khoudh. It was identified as being from the species Dinosauria Saurishia Theropod, a plant eating dinosaur about 8m long and 4 - 5m tall which lived 65 million years ago.