Bait Al Baranda Museum

This is Bait Al Baranda, the “House of the Veranda”, a cultural and historical museum in Muttrah, set inside a restored residence dating from the 30s. The museum tells the story of Muscat, and even its prehistory, across an exceptionally long timeline, from around 250 million years ago right up to the present day, using imaginative, interactive and multimedia displays. One of its most striking features is a reconstructed dinosaur skeleton, based on bones discovered near Muscat and completed with additional elements to recreate the animal. The exhibition also explores Oman’s geology, its maritime past, the Portuguese period, ruling dynasties, as well as culture, traditional clothing, craftsmanship and the growth of modern Muscat. The building itself is part of the experience, showcasing elegant traditional Omani architecture. For a time, it even housed government offices for the United States and the United Kingdom, before being carefully restored and transformed into a museum. If you wish, take the time to step inside and explore all of this for yourself.