Event celebrates the launch of Oman Across Ages Museum, which champions the country’s rich history, culture and economic growth, whilst offering an insight into the prosperous future for Oman.
The Event team were on the ground in Oman for a week of celebrations to mark the opening on March 13, which was kicked off by the Oman Sultan Haitham bin Tarik.
The global visitor experience and exhibition design agency, hailing from London, has a rich portfolio of museum projects across the region, with their work at the OAAM standing out as a highlight due to their steering role from the get-go. The Event team has worked meticulously on the project since 2014, and has overseen the ideas for the OAAM transform from a blank sheet of paper to full fruition.
Delivering the masterplan, Event and their team of specialists established the principles and policies for audience development, collections, operations, and spatial planning. Event developed the architectural brief for an international design competition, won by Cox Architecture. The exterior of the museum is ultimately hailed as an architectural wonder, with the designs inspired by the Al Hajar Mountains to reflect Oman’s breath-taking environment. The inside is a feast for the eyes too, with 9,000 square metres of permanent galleries, some reaching 20 metres high.
Event were later appointed to provide Exhibition Design and Creative Direction. Working closely with the Royal Court Affairs, Event developed the visitor experience, from the earliest concept sketches to final technical specifications. The design seamlessly integrates with the architecture and brings together setworks with graphics, state-of the-art technology and accessible tactile displays.
Establishing a project office in Oman, Event worked hand-in-hand with the base-build team and PICO, the main exhibition contractor, as well as a talented team of experts and subconsultants to deliver the project and ensure creative intent and quality were met.
Event steered the visions of the Oman Across Ages Museum, from idea and blank sheet of paper to full fruition
The OAAM has been designed to connect young Omanis with their heritage and inspire them to shape their future. It takes guests on a sweeping journey through time, experiencing different ages, dynasties and civilisations. The museums also focuses on Oman’s impressive economic, technological, political and social modernisation overseen by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said.
Along with drawing inspiration from the remarkable surroundings, Event harnessed next-generation technologies to powerfully tell the story of Oman. The centrepiece of the museum is a monumental installation of towering pillars that act as a powerful celebration of the dawn of Oman’s Renaissance. The museum also uses archival and contemporary film footage, and a series of virtual environments which transport guests into milestones throughout Oman’s history.
Event is proud to see how the initial concepts have been brought to life throughout the museum, proving testament to their ability to bring their creative partners together and align them to a unified vision.
Esteban Botero, Creative Director at Event is thrilled to see the museum finally open, commenting:
“It has been a huge privilege to work on this once-in-a-lifetime project, helping to realise the vision of the late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said. The Oman Across Ages Museum will take visitors on a journey through Oman’s 800 million year history using cutting-edge technologies and immersive audio-visuals. Inspired by the landscape around it, we hope the museum will become a source of pride for Omanis as well as a must-see destination for visitors.”
Imagery supplied by Oman Across Ages Museum
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