Oman’s cultural sector records growth across key fields in 2025

Muscat: The bulletin “Culture Statistics 2026 – 2025 Data,” issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), monitored the key indicators of the cultural sector in the Sultanate of Oman during 2025, addressing a number of cultural fields and activities.The bulletin clarified that the number of museums in the Sultanate of Oman reached 34 in 2025, including 12 government museums and 22 private museums, while their total number of visitors reached 538,729, a decrease of 28 percent compared to the previous year, with a daily average of 1,476 visitors. Visitors to the Oman Across Ages Museum accounted for 46 percent of total visitors to government and private museums. In the field of archaeological and historical sites, the total number of archaeological and historical sites and monuments reached 33,775 in 2025, while the number of restored archaeological and historical sites reached 441.The number of castles and forts of a tourist nature reached 64 castles and forts, representing 12 percent of total castles and forts, while the number of their visitors reached 849,146, an increase of 26 percent compared to the previous year, with a daily average of 2,326 visitors. Nizwa Fort recorded the highest proportion of visitors at 35 percent of total visitors to castles and forts of a tourist nature.In the field of nature reserves, their number stood at 33 reserves in 2025, including 15 terrestrial-marine reserves, covering a total area of 17,835 square kilometers, while receiving 185,411 visitors. Furthermore, the total number of public gardens, parks, and plazas reached 497 by the end of 2025, with Muscat Governorate accounting for 28 percent of them.In performing arts, the number of theaters reached 27 theaters, while the total number of theatrical performances reached 160 during 2025, averaging 6 performances per theater, and the number of theatrical troupes reached 82 troupes.The number of festivals and exhibitions reached 358 festivals and exhibitions during 2025, a decrease of 0.2 percent compared to the previous year, while the total number of visitors to festivals, exhibitions, and events reached 8,313,000 visitors, an increase of 110 percent compared to 2024.In the field of fine arts, the total number of displayed paintings and drawings reached 749 paintings and drawings, an increase of 5 percent compared to the previous year, while the number of participating artists reached 621. The number of visitors to art exhibitions reached 6,777 visitors, a decrease of 0.3 percent compared to 2024.In craft industries, the total number of artisans reached 7,134, including 6,748 females and 386 males, with Dhofar Governorate accounting for 29 percent of total artisans. Workers in the manufacture and preparation of incense constituted 49.5 percent of total artisans, numbering 3,532.In the field of books and press, the number of books published during 2025 reached 1,718, compared to 1,327 books in 2024. The number of newspapers reached 24 compared to 22 newspapers, and the number of magazines stood at 30 compared to 29 magazines in the previous year. The total number of libraries reached 97, including 74 community libraries.In the field of preserving documents and manuscripts, the number of restored documents and manuscripts reached 49,558 during 2025, compared to 34,388 in the previous year, while the number of bound documents and manuscripts reached 255 compared to 113. Digitally scanned documents and manuscripts reached 54,043 compared to 52,001 in 2024. Furthermore, nationally registered documents and manuscripts reached 372, compared to 423 in the previous year.In audiovisual media, the number of government and private television channels stood at 5, while the number of government and private radio channels reached 15 during 2025.As for the cinema sector, the number of movie theaters reached 17, and the total number of films screened in movie theaters reached 40,048 during 2025, while the number of viewers reached 1,759,304.Regarding mosques, grand mosques, and Eid prayer grounds, their total number stood at 15,910 in 2025, a decrease of 6.6 percent compared to the previous year, including 13,106 mosques, 1,927 grand mosques, and 877 Eid prayer grounds. Additionally, 20 percent of total imams and preachers were concentrated in Muscat Governorate.The number of Holy Quran schools reached 913 during 2025, with 20 percent concentrated in A’Dakhiliyah Governorate, while the total number of male and female students reached 70,478, with females accounting for 88 percent. The number of male and female teachers reached 1,221, with females accounting for 99 percent.Regarding pilgrims, the total number of pilgrims from the Sultanate of Oman reached 14,372 during 2025, including 13,871 Omanis and 501 expatriates, with Omanis making up 96.5 percent of the total.In the tourism sector, the total number of hotels, hotel apartments, furnished apartments, and other accommodation facilities reached 1,475 establishments in 2025, compared to 1,031 establishments in the previous year, while the number of guests rose by 1.2 percent. The total number of winter camps in the Sultanate of Oman stood at 602 camps during the year.The bulletin “Culture Statistics 2026 – 2025 Data” provides a statistical overview of several cultural fields and activities in the Sultanate of Oman, relying on official data received from government entities and relevant institutions, thereby supporting the monitoring of sector indicators and the analysis of its trends. -ONA