HH Sayyid Bilarab Opens Royal Cars Museum

Muscat: Upon the Royal directives of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, HH Sayyid Bilarab bin Haitham Al Said today presided over the opening ceremony of the “Royal Cars Museum” at Al Barakah Palace in the Wilayat of A’Seeb.

The ceremony was attended by Royal Family members, senior government officials and people interested in the world of cars.

After placing the official opening sign, HH Sayyid Bilarab and the attendees watched a visual presentation featuring the attachment of cars to the blessed march of the renaissance, as well as narratives embodied in the museum’s diverse set of rare collections.

Then, HH Sayyid Bilarab toured the corridors of the museum and took note of the most prominent collections of cars used by the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said, the late Sultan Said bin Taimour and Sayyid Tarik bin Taimour, in addition to the collections of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, among other cars.

Video: HH Sayyid Bilarab Opens Royal Cars Museum

The museum was made open to members of the public, following the Royal orders of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, with the aim of highlighting the luxury symbolized in the vehicles, their diversity and the Royal attention accorded to them over the past decades, so that they could serve as a source of inspiration and attraction for enthusiasts.

The vision of the Royal Cars Museum was drawn up with the prime objective of making the edifice one of the most prominent regional destinations featuring Renaissance-related vehicles. Besides encouraging the culture of preserving classic cars, the vision focuses on highlighting the name of the Sultanate of Oman on the map of specialized museums that attract enthusiasts from Oman and abroad.

The museum was established under the Royal orders of the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said, showing his passion for cars, since the early 1970s.

As a result, the old automobiles of the two late sultans were collected and a number of modern and rare cars were acquired at the time.

In 2012, the museum building was established to serve as a place to display Royal cars, but visits to the museum were limited to His Majesty’s guests.

The Royal Cars Museum’s location in Al Barakah Palace in the Wilayat of A’Seeb reflects the great attention accorded to the edifice. Visitors may obtain tickets to visit the museum by booking in advance through the website (www.rcm.gov.om).

Visitors can have access to the museum through the Safinat Gate in northern Al Maabailah area in the Wilayat of A’Seeb, from which the visitors will be transported by buses to the destination.

The museum includes a fleet of unique cars that vary in terms of class and model, reflecting the fine flair of the Sultanate of Oman.

The classic cars represent different eras, some of which are more than 130 years old, yet they have ever-since preserved their value and historical authenticity.

This serves as an evidence of the great care in maintaining the vehicles’ status and value. The museum comprises a steam car that is more than 130 years old, limited-edition cars and classic vehicles that have great historical value and armoured cars.

The museum also comprises a number of sports cars, including the first models of electric vehicles, in addition to rare cars from around the world. It is worth noting that the Royal Cars Museum will be open to visitors three days a week: Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday.

Entry tickets can be booked through the museum’s official website www.rcm.gov.om. The visitors are required to adhere to museum’s regulations and policies (available in the museum’s website).

Bookings have to be made in advance ahead of the specific period, and the visitors are required to arrive 30 minutes before the visit time.