(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) Muscat -
The National Museum has been awarded with the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) by the US Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA).
The fund has supported more than 750 projects to preserve sites, objects, and forms of traditional cultural expression in over 120 countries.
H E Marc J Sievers, US Ambassador to the sultanate, said, 'I am so happy to see this award being granted to Oman's wonderful National Museum, and I am glad to contribute to the museum's collection by adding to artefacts connected to the enduring US-Oman friendship.'
From a diverse international and worthy applicant pool, the selection committee approved the project 'Oman: Conservation of 19th-Century Photographs' in the collection of the National Museum of Oman. This project will restore and preserve a photo album that once belonged to the US Consul to Oman during the late 1800s.
Jamal Hassan al Moosawi, director general of the National Museum, said, 'It's an ultimate pleasure to continue cherishing the US-Oman friendship through the US Embassy in order to preserve this album, which provides a unique insight into the architecture of Muscat in particular and Oman in general, house interiors, the life of locals and residents, and local customs, that will be made available to visitors after restoration.'
This photo album contains images historically significant to Oman, including the second-oldest known photograph of Muscat, photos from inside the US Consulate at the time, and the oldest known photo of Muttrah. Not only important to Oman, these significant photos illustrate the long, historic ties between the US and Oman. The restoration of these important shared memories between the two countries is one of only three projects to take place in the Middle East this year.
By working with the National Museum of Oman to support the preservation of Oman's cultural heritage, the AFCP will help restore vital and culturally defining historical artefacts to ensure their enjoyment and relevance, not only today, but for generations to come.
The National Museum houses 7,000 objects within 14 permanent galleries and offers 33 digital immersive experiences, a fully equipped Learning Centre, conservation facilities, an ultra-high definition cinema, and discovery areas for children. It features an integrated infrastructure for those with special needs, and is the first museum in the Middle East to adopt Arabic Braille script for the visually impaired.
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