Monday 17 / March / 2025
Muscat: Young Omanis need to think about how they can contribute to the growth of the Sultanate, says the new director the National Museum.
Jamal Al Musawi took up his new role last year when the new museum opened its doors to the public for the first time.
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He said: “Young Omanis who have lived and studied abroad should think of ways in which they can contribute positively to the society. We are accustomed to always complaining because it is easier, but it is time to give back to Oman. It’s possible to do so, provided we have the determination. This is our home country, and every Omani has to contribute properly towards nation building.”
When he was just 14, Jamal Al Musawi had already sold two of his paintings and was the youngest member of the Omani Society of Arts. Having spent most of his adult life abroad, he has now returned home to Oman as the Director of the National Museum.
Born in Moscow, Russia, Al Musawi was always fascinated by art and culture. When he was just two years old, he began drawing with a passion.
“My family exposed us to the fine arts and different cultures. At that time, I had come to consider myself a teenager with a rather serious bent of mind. I was a self-taught painter and didn’t have much time to play around like the rest. Now, most of my pieces are in private and public collections across the world,” Al Musawi said.
With his responsibilities as the Director of the National Museum, Al Musawi doesn’t find much time to paint any more but he does express himself through his position at the museum. Since the opening of the museum in July last year up to the end of the year, 34,000 visitors walked through its doors. According to Al Musawi, 80 per cent of the visitors during the summer period were Omani families, not just individuals. On opening day, he greeted everyone personally.
“There were a lot of grandparents with their children and grandchildren, pointing towards various objects and describing them. They associated these pieces with their own childhood and were able to teach the younger ones,” Al Musawi said.
Besides having 10,500 followers on Twitter, Al Musawi takes pride in the fact that the Museum plays a role as an institution for enlightenment.
“We are the first in the Arab world to adopt Arabic braille for the visibly impaired. Also, we are very user friendly for those with special needs. It is important that we attract the youth because they are our future. It excites me to see young Omanis and expats take an interest in and engage with the various pieces showcased at the National Museum. We are an institution of enlightenment,” he stated.
According to the Director, the National Museum has reached 100 per cent Omanisation level, and is planning to enhance the number of workshops and lectures it presents and hosts. So far, the museum has already held three lectures since the beginning of the year, which were free and open to the public.
“The main objective is to maintain sustainable growth. We have already stopped relying completely on government funding. We are planning to reduce the government funding component down to 85 percent, and come up with the remaining 15 per cent on our own,” he added.
