Pact to establish Hermitage Museum branch in Oman

SAINT PETERSBURG: The Sultanate of Oman signed an agreement with the Hermitage Museum in the Russian Federation to establish a branch of the museum at the Al Baleed archaeological site in Dhofar Governorate.
The agreement comes as part of the Sultanate of Oman’s participation in the 11th St Petersburg International Forum of United Cultures held in St Petersburg, Russia.
The branch of the Hermitage Museum in the Sultanate of Oman will serve as a platform for cultural and knowledge exchange in the field of museums and heritage and will enhance cooperation in exhibitions, academic studies, archaeological research and educational programmes.
Salim bin Mohammed al Mahrouqi, Minister of Heritage and Tourism, who headed the Sultanate of Oman’s delegation at the forum, said that the Hermitage Museum branch at the Al Baleed archaeological site, a Unesco World Heritage Site, will open the door to Russian archaeological missions and contribute to the transfer of Russian expertise in museum and cultural management.
It is worth noting that in 2024, the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism established a tourism representative office in the Russian Federation, relying on the strength of the Russian tourism market to highlight Oman as an attractive tourist destination by intensifying promotional programmes and introducing tourism assets that attract different types of tourism interests.
The Sultanate of Oman has witnessed a significant growth in the number of tourists arriving from the Russian Federation. SEE ALSO P2