Muscat: Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Leyla Aliyeva visited the National Museum of Oman and the Muttrah Souq in Muscat, the capital of the Sultanate of Oman.
According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, Leyla Aliyeva first visited the National Museum of Oman, where she explored various exhibits on display and received detailed information about their history. The National Museum of Oman is the Sultanate's flagship institution reflecting the historical and cultural heritage of Oman. Opened in 2016, the museum showcases Oman's history from prehistoric times to the present across 14 galleries covering maritime history, arms and armor, Islamic culture, and ethnography. It features diverse artifacts and temporary exhibits in a modern facility designed for broad cultural understanding and accessibility.
The museum houses more than 7,000 artifacts and offers digital immersive experiences, state-of-the-art conservation facilities, a UHD cinema, and discovery areas for children. It is notable for its integrated infrastructure catering to special needs and is the first museum in the Middle East to adopt Arabic Braille script for the visually impaired. The National Museum of Oman serves as a key educational hub blending Omani tradition and modern design, showcasing the nation's heritage and serving locals and tourists with inclusive, interactive exhibits that promote cultural pride and understanding.
After visiting the museum, Leyla Aliyeva was presented with a gift and posed for commemorative photos. She then toured the Muttrah Souq, a traditional market, where she engaged with sellers and viewed local goods. The Muttrah Souq is one of the oldest and most famous markets in the Arab world, having served as a trading hub for goods that came through the Muscat harbor from India, China, Europe, and other Middle Eastern regions for centuries. Today, it remains a bustling marketplace, trading in traditional textiles, clothing, jewelry, incense, pipes, pottery, and other handicrafts, as well as local produce like fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices.