MUSCAT : This event coincides with the celebration of Sur as the Capital of Arab Tourism for 2024.
The opening ceremony was officiated by H.E. Dr. Sheikh Hilal bin Ali bin Saud Al Habsi, Governor of Sur.

This exhibition marks a significant effort by the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism to highlight the importance of meteorites, promote sustainable investments, and diversify the museum landscape, thereby enhancing heritage and tourism destinations across various governorates.

The exhibition showcases numerous rare meteorites of global scientific significance and exceptional value, including samples from one of the largest meteorite falls in Oman. It also features a presentation on the meteor monitoring devices project, which tracks and documents meteorites entering Oman’s airspace to facilitate their recovery.

Among the rare meteorites on display are the Ureilite meteorite, a non-chondrite meteorite composed of silicate minerals containing magnesium and iron, characterized by tiny diamond grains; the Eucrite meteorite, which fell in 2010 in the Al Wusta Governorate and originates from basalt rocks on the crust of the asteroid Vesta 4; and the Jiddat Al Harasis 91 meteorite, which visitors can touch.

The Jiddat Al Harasis meteorite represents the largest meteorite fall discovered in Oman, spanning about 52 kilometers and comprising over 700 pieces with a total weight of around 4,600 kilograms.

Said bin Hareb Al Obaidani, Director General of Museums at the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, commented, “The General Directorate of Museums, represented by the Department of Geological Heritage, is dedicated to researching and monitoring these meteorites, studying them, and displaying them to visitors in exhibitions and museums.”

He added, “This exhibition, held in its third edition in the Governorate of South Al Sharqiyah, specifically in Sur, the Capital of Arab Tourism 2024, is expected to attract a wide audience. The exhibition will run until January 12, 2025, allowing visitors, researchers, and students to explore and learn about meteor science.”

Abdul Moneim bin Abdullah Al Zakwani, a geologist in the Department of Geological Heritage, highlighted the exhibition’s role in showcasing the outcomes of seasonal research projects conducted over the past two decades. These studies have provided significant scientific insights into various meteorites, documented by the International Meteor Society. The exhibition also features an interactive screen detailing the meteorite fall monitoring project launched in 2022.

“The exhibition aims to enhance programs for preserving meteorites, educate the public on their economic and scientific importance, ensure their sustainability, and present them to all segments of society following scientific foundations and best international practices,” he noted.

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