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Madinat Al IrfanMuscat · Oman
Visitor studying teal sculptures in a minimalist gallery

Experience · Culture & heritage

Heritage you can hold

Frankincense, silver, water, coffee and verse: the threads of Omani culture, carried into a contemporary arts programme and the galleries of the Civic & Culture Quarter.

Five threadsFestivals
Cultural home
Civic & Culture Quarter
Heritage festival
Heritage Days
Design programme
MAI Design Week
Falaj heritage
UNESCO-recognised

(01)A living culture

In Oman, culture is not kept behind glass. It is poured from the dallah, carried on frankincense smoke, worn in silver and recited in the majlis. Madinat Al Irfan gives it room to grow: studios, galleries and festivals where heritage and new work meet.

(02)Heritage

Five threads of Omani culture

The crafts, rituals and arts that shape daily life in Oman, and how the culture programme brings each one into the city.

Golden dunes and distant mountains under a clear sky crossed by a contrail
Luban · Frankincenseلبان

01 / 05Frankincense

The scent of welcome

For millennia, frankincense from the trees of Dhofar, in the south of Oman, travelled the caravan and sea routes of Arabia. It still perfumes Omani homes, greets guests at the door and marks every celebration.

At Madinat Al Irfan, resin blenders and bakhoor makers join the makers' souq and Heritage Days, with workshops on grading resin and burning it the traditional way.

Origin
Dhofar, southern Oman
Experience it
Makers' souq, Heritage Days
Heritage Days
Handcrafted silver rings set with stones
Fiddah · Silverفضة

02 / 05Silver craft

Craft worn close to the heart

Omani silversmiths are known for the khanjar, the curved dagger on the national emblem, and for jewellery and filigree boxes once used to carry kohl and perfume. Each town has its own patterns.

The culture programme plans silversmith residencies and open studios, so visitors can watch pieces being made and commission their own.

Signature piece
The khanjar
Experience it
Residencies, open studios
Desert grasses and sculpted mountains beneath a wide sky
Falaj · Water channelفلج

03 / 05The falaj

Water, shared fairly

For centuries, aflaj channels have carried water from springs and aquifers to Oman's villages, shared between farms by time and by custom. The country's aflaj irrigation systems are recognised by UNESCO as World Heritage.

Their logic of sharing a scarce resource with care shapes the water-wise landscape of Madinat Al Irfan, and the Falaj community takes its name from them.

Recognition
UNESCO World Heritage
In the city
Water-wise landscape
Discover Falaj
Coffee glass beside a folded napkin sealed with amber wax
Kahwa · Coffeeقهوة

04 / 05Hospitality & kahwa

The first cup is for the guest

Omani hospitality begins with kahwa: lightly roasted coffee spiced with cardamom, poured from the dallah into small cups and served with dates. Accepting a cup is accepting a welcome, and a gentle shake of the cup says you have had enough.

From hotel lobbies to Dallah House at Madar, the ritual is part of daily life in the city, and visitors can learn it at kahwa workshops in the culture programme.

Served with
Dates, always
Experience it
Dallah House, workshops
Dallah House
Rows of seats blurred in motion before a red curtain
Shi'r · Poetryشعر

05 / 05Poetry & music

Verses for every gathering

Poetry has long been the voice of the majlis, recited at weddings, gatherings and national occasions, while drum-led music and sword dances mark celebrations across the country.

The programme plans poetry evenings in the majlis, recitals in the OCEC theatre and new commissions that carry traditional rhythms onto contemporary stages.

Where it lives
The majlis
Experience it
Recitals, poetry evenings
Lifestyle venues

(03)Contemporary arts programme

New work, rooted here

Residencies, commissions and performances that give Omani and visiting artists a home in the city, planned to grow phase by phase.

Geometric concrete facade casting angular shadows

Studios in the Civic & Culture Quarter for Omani and visiting artists, with open studio days each season and a residency for craftspeople working in silver, textiles and clay.

(04)Exhibitions

A quarter for ideas

The Civic & Culture Quarter is planned around gallery halls, makers' courtyards and a library and archive, beside the Al Irfan Grand Mosque. Its exhibitions mix heritage, design and the story of the city itself.

Exhibition space with an illuminated canvas and a polished grey floor
Gallery halls
Changing exhibitions
Makers' courtyards
Studios and the souq
Library & archive
Oral histories and craft
Grand Mosque
Library, majlis, gardens
Status
Planned
The Al Irfan Grand Mosque

Planned exhibitions

  1. 01

    The Frankincense Roads

    Trade, ritual and the resin that connected Arabia to the world.

    Opening exhibition
  2. 02

    Silver Cities

    Omani silversmithing, from the khanjar to contemporary jewellery.

    Craft
  3. 03

    Water Lines

    The aflaj and the future of water in a warming climate.

    Heritage & science
  4. 04

    City of Knowledge

    The making of Madinat Al Irfan, from the first masterplan sketches to the digital twin.

    Architecture

Exhibition titles are indicative and will be confirmed with the opening programme of the quarter.

(05)Festivals

Celebrate craft, old and new

Heritage Days gathers the makers, flavours and music of Oman, while MAI Design Week shows what Omani and regional designers are making next.

All events & festivals
Woman holding a glowing lantern of coloured glass
3–6 Dec 2026

Culture · Civic & Culture Quarter

Heritage Days

Four days celebrating Omani craftsmanship, poetry and music with makers from across the governorates.

Visitor studying teal sculptures in a minimalist gallery
10–16 Feb 2027

Exhibition · Madar & Business Park

MAI Design Week

A week of exhibitions, studio talks and installations by designers from Oman and the wider region.

Take part

Bring your craft to the city

Artists, makers, curators and cultural partners: tell us about your work and the culture team will be in touch about residencies, commissions and the programme.

All events & festivals
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