Assalamualaikum / May peace be upon you.
Next, we explored the outdoor section of this museum.
The Garden
🔵The outdoor garden features a variety of Omani trees and flowers, along with a traditional falaj (ancient irrigation system), and a miniature model of an old Omani village, complete with castles and forts crafted by skilled artisans. Additionally, there are boats and their accessories that mimic a coastal environment.
🔵This garden serves as an interactive space between the visitor and the outdoor environment, especially for tourists making a brief visit to the museum.
Source: www.baitalzubair.com
Stepping into the museum’s garden feels like entering a sanctuary where nature and design converse in harmony. Pathways framed by palms lead visitors through manicured lawns and flowerbeds, while the shadows of tall trees stretch across stone walkways in a gentle dance of light and shade.
A whimsical sculpture brightens one corner, surrounded by purple blossoms that soften the urban backdrop.
Clusters of pink and violet flowers burst with color, their vibrancy echoing the coastal breeze.
Here, the garden’s central axis draws the eye toward harmony between greenery and architecture, reminding us that even in the heart of Muscat, serenity can be cultivated.
In the hush of the garden, display boards recount the story of Oman’s Falaj Irrigation Systems - waterways inscribed by UNESCO in 2006, yet long etched into the soul of the land. The falaj is more than irrigation; it is a lifeline, a testament to harmony between desert and community.
Inscribed by UNESCO in 2006, Oman’s falaj irrigation systems stand as living veins of desert survival. Five falaj - Al Katmeen, Al Malki, Daris, Al Jeela, and Al Mayassar - were chosen to embody this heritage, each a testament to ingenuity, endurance, and the harmony between land and people.
From the Al Hajar Mountains to the southern reaches of Dhofar, falaj channels carve pathways of life across Oman. Their flow is measured not only in water but in fairness - guided by sundials and stars, sustaining homes, mosques, and fields in a timeless order of need.
Three forms of falaj whisper their stories through stone and earth: Ayni, spring-fed and open; Ghayli, drawn from wadis in rushing streams; and Daudi, tunneling deep beneath the soil, some stretching beyond 17 kilometers. Together, they reveal the artistry of water’s journey across Oman’s landscapes.
Each falaj carries a distinct rhythm of water and history: Daris, thought to be the oldest; Al Malki, the largest with its branching veins; Al Katmeen and Al Mayassar, coursing through Nizwa and Rustaq; and Al Jeela, a spring-fed jewel of Wadi Shab. Their flow rates and lengths speak of endurance, their stories of heritage.
Total Number of Falaj in Oman
Across Oman, more than 4,000 falaj once pulsed with water, lifelines threading through desert soil. Today, over 3,000 remain alive, their mother wells still breathing. In Al Batinah, where nearly 40 percent of these channels converge, the land remembers both the flowing and the silent, the living and the dead.
Surface Channel
In the mountains, falaj rise to the surface, carved in stone and masonry, catching the gifts of springs and wadis. These open channels shimmer in sunlight, carrying water in plain sight - Ayni and Ghayli falaj, simple yet profound, binding communities to the rhythm of nature’s flow.
Sequence Tunnelling
When a falaj begins to fade, its tunnels stretch deeper, searching for new veins of water. Each extension is a quiet act of resilience, numbered and ordered, yet deeply human - a testament to persistence, to the will to coax life from the earth again and again.
Miniature model of an old Omani Village
The miniature village is a diorama of heritage, a world in small scale that captures the timeless essence of Oman’s mountain settlements. Beige fortresses and clustered homes rise from rocky terrain, their architecture echoing centuries of resilience. Streams flow through the model, framed by palm trees and boats that animate the scene with daily rhythms of life. A cascading waterfall adds drama to the backdrop, symbolizing abundance in arid lands. Tiny figurines at work breathe life into the tableau, transforming it from a static model into a living memory. In this crafted landscape, visitors glimpse the ingenuity and endurance that shaped Omani communities.
Old Traditional Fishermen Boats
Resting quietly on land, the weathered wooden hulls of old fishermen boats stand as silent witnesses to Oman’s maritime soul. Their cracked planks and fading paint tell stories of voyages across the Gulf, of saltwater soaking into timber and sun bleaching colors into muted tones. Some boats remain intact, others bear the scars of time, yet all speak of livelihoods shaped by the sea. Palm trees and flowers soften the aged timbers, blending history with renewal in a landscaped heritage display. These relics are not merely artifacts; they are memory keepers, preserving the craft and courage of generations who lived by the tides.
Barasti (Omani Traditional House)
The Barasti house, woven from palm fronds and trees, embodies sustainable ingenuity that still thrives in Omani villages today. Its rustic walls, anchored by a sign of cultural continuity, welcome visitors into a home shaped by nature’s resources. Clay pots by the entrance hint at daily life, while streams running alongside evoke the falaj system - lifelines of water in desert lands. Flowering plants and greenery soften the textures of palm and stone, creating a setting where simplicity and resourcefulness remain timeless. The Barasti is more than a structure; it is a living heritage, a reminder that tradition and environment can coexist in harmony.
Hello love 😍😊.
In the quiet garden of Bait Al Zubair Museum, a tabby cat stretches across the tiles, its striped coat blending with shadows and petals. A living guardian of heritage, it lounges as if the museum’s stories flow through its calm repose.
Seeing this tabby cat had stirred a quiet echo of home for me - the stripes and spots like a mirror of my own companion waiting back in familiar spaces. Travel often brings these unexpected moments where the world feels both vast and intimate: a cat in Muscat reminding me of a cat in my own living room.
Next, Maher took us into one of the other 4 buildings, i.e the Bait Al Dalalil.
Bait Al Dalaleel
🔵An old house that has been carefully restored and renovated and symbolises the true essence of vernacular architecture in Oman. The house allows you to step back in time and experience how Omanis lived over 100 years ago. It has a majlis (guest lounge), bedroom and domestic date store to discover.
🔵Bait al Dalaleel also hosts an arts space and café where you can see more experimental art and relax in a beautiful eclectic space surrounded by books and history.
Source: www.baitalzubair.com
Bait Al Dalaleel (Interior)
Crossing into Bait Al Dalaleel is like stepping back a century into the rhythm of Muscat’s old quarters. Restored walls and niches frame rooms furnished with traditional chairs, woven mats, and pottery, each detail recreating the cadence of daily life. Coffee pots and woven decor speak of hospitality, while cushioned majlis areas invite communal gatherings. Pottery displayed in arched recesses reflects the craft and utility of Omani homes, and stone walls paired with woven mats preserve the vernacular essence of living spaces. This restored house is not a museum piece alone — it is a portal into the lived experience of Omanis over 100 years ago.
Bait Al Dalaleel (Bedroom & Details)
The deeper rooms of Bait Al Dalaleel unfold like chapters in a story of domestic life. A canopy bed draped in white curtains recalls the intimacy of traditional bedrooms, while shelves of cooking pots and utensils reveal the rhythm of storing and preparing dates. Clay pots and cushions recreate the warmth of family sitting areas, and lantern-lit hallways guide footsteps through the restored house. Decorative alcoves display pitchers and carved wood, blending utility with artistry. In larger rooms, stained glass windows cast jewel-toned light across communal spaces, while long tables beneath photographs bridge past and present. Here, heritage meets dialogue, and visitors discover how vernacular architecture continues to inspire.
Within the restored walls of Bait Al Dalaleel, art becomes a dialogue between heritage and contemporary expression.
A gallery room lined with framed works and shelves of books invites visitors to linger, its arched windows and niches echoing the rhythms of traditional architecture.
Among the displays, embroidered canvases by Safa Srour — Handhalah of Palestine 16 and Handhalah of Palestine 18 — stand out as vivid testimonies of resilience.
Threads of color weave together scenes of struggle and hope, while Arabic text deepens the narrative, binding language and imagery into cultural memory. This curated exhibition transforms the house into an art space, where history and modern voices converge, reminding us that heritage is not static but continually reinterpreted.
Here, the ceiling itself becomes a canvas of tradition. Hanging above are light fixtures crafted from kummah — the embroidered Omani cap — each one transformed into a glowing lantern of cultural pride. Their intricate patterns, ranging from floral motifs to geometric designs, radiate in shades of red, white, beige, and gray. Stained glass windows with bold geometric colors frame the space, casting jewel-toned reflections that mingle with the soft glow of the kummah lamps. The effect is both intimate and celebratory: a fusion of everyday craftsmanship elevated into art. Here, the kummah transcends its role as attire, becoming a luminous symbol of identity and creativity within the vernacular architecture of Bait Al Dalaleel.
With that, our visit to Bait Al Zubair Museum ends.
What struck me most was the balance: Oman’s pride lies not only in preserving its traditions but in embracing modernity while staying rooted in identity. The museum is not a static archive but a living dialogue, where history and innovation meet. My time here was memorable, engaging, and immersive - a reminder that to understand Oman is to walk through its past while witnessing how it breathes into the future.
To be continued.
Till the next coming entry, inshaAllah. Meanwhile do take care.
No photograph or videos may be reproduced, downloaded, copied, stored, manipulated, or used whole or in part of a derivative work, without written permission from Syed Amran. All rights reserved.
No comments:
Post a Comment