Saturday 27 / July / 2024
Sur: The Ministry of Heritage and Tourism today inaugurated the third edition of the meteorite exhibition in the Sultanate of Oman at the Sur City Walk, South Al Sharqiyah Governorate.
The inauguration ceremony coincides with the celebrations of Sur as the Arab Tourism Capital for 2024.
The event was held under the auspices of Sheikh Dr. Hilal Ali Al Habsi, Wali of Sur.
Moreover, the opening of the exhibition reflects the efforts of the Ministry to raise awareness about the importance of meteorites, invest in them sustainably, and diversify the museum system. This contributes to enhancing heritage and tourism destinations across various governorates.
The Ministry will showcase several rare meteorites of significant global scientific importance and exceptional value, including samples from one of the largest meteorite falls in Oman.
The exhibition also features a project on meteorite monitoring devices in Oman, through which the ministry tracks and documents meteorites as they enter Oman's atmosphere, identifying their fall locations to facilitate their immediate collection.
Featuring several rare and distinctive meteorite samples, the exhibition includes the ureilite meteorite, a non-chondritic meteorite composed of magnesium- and iron-rich silicate minerals, notable for containing small diamond grains. Also on display is the eucrite meteorite, which fell in 2010 in Al Wusta Governorate, formed from basaltic rocks of the asteroid Vesta 4, one of the largest asteroids in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
Another highlight is the Jiddat al Harasis 91 meteorite, which visitors can touch. This meteorite is part of the largest meteorite fall discovered in Oman.
Said Harub Al Obaidani, the Director-General of Museums at the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, emphasized that the Directorate General of Museums, represented by the Geological Heritage Department, puts significant efforts into researching, monitoring, studying, and presenting these meteorites to visitors in exhibitions and museums.
He added that it is expected that the exhibition will attract a wide audience to visit and learn about the distinctive meteorite samples from various age groups. The exhibition is planned to continue until 12 January 2025, providing an opportunity for enthusiasts, researchers, school students, and university students to visit and learn more about these meteorites.
On his turn, Abdulmunim Abdullah Al Zakwani, a geologist from the Ministry, pointed out that the opening of this exhibition translates the outcomes of seasonal research projects implemented over the past two decades and the scientific studies conducted on several meteorites in detail. The scientific results have confirmed their importance.
Al Zakwani noted that the exhibition aims to maximize programs for preserving meteorites, raise awareness about their economic and scientific importance, ensure their sustainability, and showcase them to all segments of society according to scientific principles and the best global practices.
