Stand on the corniche at Mutrah in the early morning and you will see the working city before the day heats up: dhows in the harbour, fishermen hauling the night's catch onto the quay, and the white low-rise buildings of Muscat rising behind them toward the Hajar Mountains. This is a capital that rewards slow movement between its old harbour, its museums and its long beach road.
Muscat suits travellers who want forts and history in the morning and a waterfront walk in the evening, and who are happy to plan around the fact that several of its most prominent buildings can only be seen from the outside. This guide covers the sights named in the source material, grouped by district, with the practical details you need to fit them into a day.
Top things to do in Muscat
1. Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque
The Grand Mosque in Al Khuwair is the one major sight in Muscat that non-Muslim visitors can enter, and much of the complex is open to them. Inside, look for the Swarovski crystal chandelier, the marble panelling, and the second largest hand made Persian carpet in the world.
Non-Muslim visiting hours are Saturday to Thursday, 9–11AM. Ladies are expected to keep their heads, ankles and wrists covered while visiting.
2. Mutrah Souq and the Corniche
Mutrah was formerly a fishing village and is known primarily for its extensive souq and waterfront corniche. The renovated corniche is a popular place for a walk, with good views of the fishing dhows in the harbour and many not-so-expensive eating places along it.
Pair the walk with the fish market on Al Bahri Road, across from the Marina Hotel, which runs daily 6–10AM, where you can watch fishermen unload and sell the catch of the day.
3. National Museum
On An Noor Street in Old Muscat, this large museum tries to illustrate the history and customs of Oman from the Stone Age to the present day. The presentation includes 3D printed detailed models of Omani architecture and beautifully presented artifacts, plus a curious exhibition of presents from foreign dignitaries on the top floor.
It is open Saturday to Thursday 10AM–5PM and Friday 2PM–6PM. Admission is RO 5 for adults and free for children.
4. Bait Al Zubair Museum
On Al Bahri Road, this museum features displays on Omani social history, and tours are frequently run of the neighbouring reconstructed townhouse. It is open Saturday to Thursday, 9:30AM–6PM.
Bait Muzna Gallery sits opposite on Saidiya Street, representing primarily Omani artists and a few Oman-based western artists, so the two can be combined in one stop.
5. Al Jalali Fort and Al Mirani Fort
These twin forts face each other across the harbour in Old Muscat. Al Jalali Fort was built as a prison in the rocky mountains in the 1580s during the Portuguese occupation and is now converted into a museum devoted to Omani heritage; Al Mirani Fort was built at the same time.
Neither fort is open to the general public — Al Jalali only to visiting dignitaries and heads of state, Al Mirani closed as a museum — but you can climb the steep stairs up to the top of Al Jalali for the view, and appreciate Al Mirani freely from the outside.
6. Qasr Al Alam Royal Palace
This palace stands on the head of a natural deep water harbour and is guarded on either side by the twin forts of Mirani and Jelali. Visitors are not allowed inside, but they are allowed to take photographs at the entrance.
Combine it with the Muscat Gate Museum on Al Bahri Road, which marks the location of the old city wall, holds the original city gates used until the 1970s, and offers good views of Old Muscat and the palace. The museum is open Saturday to Thursday, 8AM–2PM.
7. Mutrah Fort and the old watchtowers
Mutrah Fort on Al Bahri Road was built by the Portuguese in the 1580s. It is not open to the public, but visitors are permitted to climb up the hill to the outside for a good view of the area.
Two restored Portuguese watchtowers are also worth the climb: the old waterfront watchtower across from Riyam Park is a good place to catch views of the sunset, and the old souq watchtower near Mutrah Souq and Mutrah Street gives views of Mutrah and the Corniche. There is no clearly-defined path to the top of the latter; the easiest access is from the northwest.
8. Ghalya's Museum of Modern Art
On Al Wadi Khabir on the Corniche near Mutrah Fort, this museum is made up of a cluster of houses with furnishings and displays appropriate to an Omani house between 1950 and 1970, before the accession of Sultan Qaboos. There is also a small modern art gallery.
It is open Saturday to Thursday, 9:30AM–6PM. Admission is RO 2 for adults and 500 Bzs for children aged 6–12.
9. Bait al-Baranda Museum
This renovated house from the 1930s on Al Mina Street has exhibits illustrating the history of Muscat. The lower level is devoted to pre-history and palaeontology, while the upper level covers human history and ethnography.
Admission is RO 1 for adults and RO 0.500 for children. It sits within easy reach of the Mutrah corniche and souq.
10. Riyam Park
On Al Bahri Road, this park has a small funfair with rides, and great views can be had from the giant incense burner perched on the hillside. The old waterfront watchtower is directly across from it.
Come late in the day so you can climb the watchtower for the sunset after walking the park.
11. Sultan's Armed Forces Museum
Housed in a building built in 1845 as a royal summer home at Bait al-Falaj on Al Mujamma Street, this curious museum has displays on Oman's history on the lower level, and on the upper level covers Oman's international relations, military history and weaponry, with an outdoor section of decommissioned heavy military machinery.
All visitors are given a mandatory military escort, and admission is RO 2.
12. Omani French Museum
In Bait Fransa near the police station on Qasr al-Alam Street, this small museum has displays detailing the relations between France and Oman, with many colonial objects from the 19th century.
It is open Saturday to Wednesday 8AM–1PM and Thursday 9AM–1PM, and admission is RO 0.500 — an easy addition to a morning in Old Muscat.
13. Qurm National Park
In Al Qurm, the park has extensive rose gardens, a large manmade waterfall, a lake and an amusement park. The amusement park is a must to visit during the Muscat Festival.
It sits in the same stretch of the city as the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, so the two work well in one outing.
14. Museum of Omani Heritage
At Medinat Al Alam, on top of Information Hill near the Ministry of Information, this small museum has a good collection of archaeological exhibits, and is worth visiting for the excellent views.
It is open Saturday to Wednesday 9:30AM–1:30PM and Thursday 9AM–1PM, with admission of 500 Bzs.
15. Oil and Gas Exhibition Centre and Planetarium
On Seih Al Maleh Street, the Oil and Gas Exhibition Centre is a private museum with six permanent displays explaining the formation of, and modern extraction of oil and natural gas. It is free and open Saturday to Thursday, 8AM–3PM, closed on public holidays.
The Planetarium is adjacent, with a full-dome digital system accommodating up to 60 visitors; two shows a week are presented in English, so call or email to confirm times and make reservations. Both sit at the end of the street just before PDO Gate 2.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at the fish market on Al Bahri Road in Mutrah, open 6–10AM, then walk the Corniche and the Mutrah Souq while the air is still cool. Climb up to Mutrah Fort for the view over the harbour.
Afternoon: Move to Old Muscat for the National Museum and Bait Al Zubair Museum, stopping at the entrance of Qasr Al Alam Royal Palace for photographs and looking up at Al Jalali Fort and Al Mirani Fort across the harbour. If time allows, add the Muscat Gate Museum for its views of the old city and the palace.
Evening: Walk Riyam Park and climb the old waterfront watchtower across from it to catch the sunset over the water.
Frequently asked questions
Can non-Muslims visit the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque?
Yes. Most of the complex is open to non-Muslim visitors, with visiting hours for non-Muslims Saturday to Thursday, 9–11AM. Ladies are expected to keep their heads, ankles and wrists covered while visiting.
Are the forts in Muscat open to the public?
No. Al Jalali Fort is opened only to visiting dignitaries and heads of state, and Al Mirani Fort is closed to the general public, though it can be freely appreciated from the outside. Mutrah Fort is also not open to the public, but visitors are permitted to climb up the hill to the outside for a good view. At Al Jalali you can still climb the steep stairs up to the top to enjoy the view.
When is the best time to see the fish market?
The fish market on Al Bahri Road, along the Corniche across from the Marina Hotel, runs daily 6–10AM, when visitors can watch fishermen unload and sell the catch of the day.
Which museums charge admission?
The National Museum charges RO 5 for adults and is free for children, and the Sultan's Armed Forces Museum charges RO 2. Ghalya's Museum of Modern Art charges RO 2 for adults and 500 Bzs for children aged 6–12, Bait al-Baranda Museum charges RO 1 for adults and RO 0.500 for children, and the Omani French Museum and the Museum of Omani Heritage both charge RO 0.500 and 500 Bzs respectively. The Oil and Gas Exhibition Centre and the Planetarium are free.
Use these listings to sketch your own route through Old Muscat, Mutrah and the districts along Sultan Qaboos Highway, and start planning around the opening hours that fit your days.