Experience UK Guide 2023 | Page 67

Renaissance Gallery © Oman Across Ages Museum
Renaissance Gallery © Oman Across Ages Museum Civilisation of Magan © Oman Across Ages Museum
the country - the permanent exhibition space alone is over 9,000m2 , with some galleries stretching more than 20m high .
The team supported the process from start to finish , developing the initial museum concept and creating an architectural masterplan which provided a roadmap for the project . As the project ’ s exhibition designer , Event then worked hand-in-hand with appointed practice Cox Architects to ensure the architecture and exhibition design worked in harmony . With an onthe-ground presence in Oman , Event ’ s deep integration into Omani culture helped it to shape the content on display .
Upon entering the museum , visitors are invited on a vast , sweeping journey through time . Starting with the land ’ s geological formation and ending in modern day Oman , they fly through different ages , dynasties and civilizations guided by the latest exhibition technology and storytelling techniques .
The permanent exhibition wings are divided into two : The History Gallery and the Renaissance Gallery . The latter represents the country ’ s remarkable period of economic , technological , political and social modernisation beginning in the 1970s under His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said .
Event employed a diverse array of techniques to create a rich and layered exhibition experience that draws in audiences of all ages . Archival and contemporary film footage , photography and the considered use of augmented reality combine with object displays to spectacular effect . A tactile object or artefact introduces the theme of each space , forming a trail running through the core of the museum . Audio and tactile elements are integrated at every stage to make sure that all visitors are able to engage with the content , be it the jaw of the animal of Omantherium , a primitive elephant that lived 35 million years ago , or a scaled model of the Arabian Gulf Cup . There are more than 30 tactile stations and over 70 interactive screens located throughout the museum , encouraging hands-on interaction .
Event has used state-of-the-art technologies to create transportive experiences that immerse audiences in different times and places . A moving floor and 360 ° theatre transports visitors through Oman ’ s economic landscape . Augmented reality has been used to overlay ancient peoples engaged in activities on the archaeological site plan and in front of the physically reconstructed huts in the prehistoric area . 3D scanning and printing has been used on an unprecedented scale to recreate a geological structure of folded rock .
The museum emerges from the ground in a way that invokes the surrounding landscape , with the Hajar Mountains in the distance giving rise to the recurring triangular motif throughout the space . This can be seen in the History Gallery ’ s tessellated walls , which represent Omanis ’ lasting connection to the land . In the section of the exhibition devoted to Islam , the tessellation transitions into a flowing ribbon structure , suggesting the impact of Islam as the ordering principle of Omani society .
Contact us Tel : + 44 ( 0 ) 207 378 9900 Fax : + 44 ( 0 ) 207 378 9911 info @ eventcomm . com www . eventcomm . com
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