The National Museum Holds a Press Conference to Inaugurate the “Russian Seasons” in the Sultanate of Oman and Inaugurates the State Hermitage Museum Corner: “Gifts of Bukharan and Central Asian Emirs to the Russian Imperial Court”

The National Museum held a press conference on Saturday, 1st February 2025, to inaugurate the museum programme of the “Russian Seasons” in the Sultanate of Oman in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and the ANO “Russian Seasons”. Additionally, the Museum inaugurated the State Hermitage Museum’s Corner titled “Gifts of Bukharan and Central Asian Emirs to the Russian Imperial Court”. The event was attended by Olga Lyubimova, the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation, and Dr. Mona bint Fahd al-Said, Assistant Vice Chancellor of Sultan Qaboos University for International Cooperation, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the National Museum, along with Excellencies, officials, members of the press, and cultural and museum specialists.

Cultural and Museum Cooperation

During the conference, His Excellency Jamal bin Hassan al-Moosawi, Secretary-General of the National Museum, presented a cultural and museum cooperation timeline between the National Museum and the Russian Federation. Her Excellency Olga Lyubimova, the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation, highlighted the key activities and events of the “Russian Seasons” that will take place throughout the year in partnership with various institutions in the Sultanate of Oman. These events will span different cultural fields, including museums, theatre, music, and literature.

Signing of Agreement

As part of the event, the National Museum signed an agreement with the Russian Seasons Foundation for the inauguration of the “Russian Seasons” in Oman. The agreement was signed on behalf of the National Museum by His Excellency Jamal bin Hassan al-Moosawi, Secretary-General of the Museum, while Director Svetlana Anatolyevna Kondratyeva signed on behalf of “Russian Seasons”.

Statements from Officials

His Excellency Jamal bin Hassan al-Moosawi, Secretary-General of the National Museum, stated:

“Today, we celebrate the inauguration of the museum programme of the ‘Russian Seasons’ in the Sultanate of Oman, as well as the opening of the second exhibition ‘Gifts of Bukharan and Central Asian Emirs to the Russian Imperial Court’ at the National Museum in cooperation with the State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg. This event comes in an effort to enhance cultural exchange and introduce the civilisational heritage of both countries, which share historical relations that span centuries and are committed to strengthening these relations. This coincides with the celebration of the 40th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between the Sultanate of Oman and the Russian Federation. This initiative is part of broader efforts to enhance cultural diplomacy, with the National Museum—being a key institution representing Oman’s historical and cultural dimensions—playing an active role in fostering these relations through collaboration with Russian cultural and museum institutions.”

He added:

“The exhibition marks the second collaboration, following the success of the earlier exhibition, which shed light on masterpieces of Islamic civilisation in Russia. This latest exhibition coincides with the ongoing ‘Oman Gallery’ exhibition at the State Hermitage Museum, titled ‘The Omani Empire Between Asia and Africa’. This parallel exhibition, running until 16 February 2025, highlights the Omani Empire in Asia and Africa, underlining Oman’s historical role as a cultural and economic bridge between the Arabian Peninsula, West Asia, and the East African coast.”

Her Excellency Olga Lyubimova, the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation, remarked:

“Holding the main international Russian project in the year of celebrating the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries is a significant and extremely important step in developing and strengthening the Russian-Omani cultural cooperation. Despite the rapid development of bilateral cooperation in various spheres of culture, it is our museums that remain its ‘flagships.’ Their strong friendship is based on the common approach of Russia and Oman to the careful attitude to and preservation of the cultural and historical heritage, traditional values, and spiritual wealth of our peoples.”

She further stated:

“The opening of the ‘Russian Seasons’ at the National Museum is a remarkable initiative. Today we present the State Hermitage’s Corner in the National Museum of Oman. The exhibition focuses on the strong long-standing ties between Russia and the peoples of the East, introducing the unique gifts of the Eastern rulers to the Russian imperial court. I hope that the ‘Russian Seasons’ and an encounter with the best examples of Russian art will give memorable and vivid impressions to the residents and guests of the Sultanate of Oman.”

Exhibition Details

Hosting the exhibition “Gifts from Bukharan and Central Asian Emirs to the Russian Imperial Court” is part of the State Hermitage Museum’s initiative that was launched in 2021. This second exhibition highlights a unique collection of luxurious artefacts crafted in Bukhara, Khiva, Khwarazm, and Kokand, which are brought as part of a long-term lending arrangement to the National Museum in the Sultanate of Oman from the State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

The collection includes:

• Weapons
• Horse harnesses and trappings
• Personal ornaments and jewellery set with gemstones
• Silverware
• Carpets and tapestries
• Textiles and embroideries

Musical Performance and Documentary Screening

The event also featured a live musical performance by the Russian Berlin Quartet, followed by a screening of the documentary al-Khanjar, produced by Russia Today Arabic (RT) in cooperation with the National Museum and the Ministry of Information in the Sultanate of Oman.

About “Russian Seasons”

The “Russian Seasons” project is an international cultural project under the Government of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation. Its mission is to present Russia as a country that carefully preserves and develops its rich cultural heritage and traditions. The themes and format of Russian Seasons are diverse, ranging from classical music concerts and theatre productions to film festivals, art exhibitions, educational projects, lectures, and master classes. Over 13 million viewers have attended Russian Seasons since its inception.

About “The State Hermitage Museum”

The State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg is one of the largest museums in the world, housing a collection of over three million artefacts. Established in 1764, it is also one of the oldest museums globally and one of the most important tourist landmarks in Russia. Each year, the museum welcomes approximately 5.3 million visitors. Its 500 exhibition galleries display over seventeen thousand paintings, 12,000 sculptures, more than 1 million coins and medals, 800,000 archaeological artefacts, and over 360,000 applied arts objects. Additionally, the museum holds more than 600,000 graphic art pieces, making it one of the world’s most significant cultural institutions.