Attraction
Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque
Oman's largest mosque, opened in 2001 at Bausher, with a 90-metre minaret, a vast hand-woven carpet and set morning visiting hours for non-Muslims.
Royal Opera House Muscat
Opened in 2011 as the Gulf's first opera house, this Shatti Al Qurum landmark offers daytime building tours and an evening programme of opera, ballet and Arabic music.
At a glance
- Type
- Opera house and arts centre
- Area
- Shatti Al Qurum, Muscat, Oman
- Official site
- rohmuscat.org.om
Good to know
- Guided tours
- Gardens
- Restaurants
- Shopping galleria
- Wheelchair accessible
Why we recommend it
The Royal Opera House Muscat opened on 12 October 2011 as the first opera house in the Gulf region, built on the orders of Sultan Qaboos, who commissioned it in 2001. It stands on Sultan Qaboos Street in Shatti Al Qurum and was designed in a contemporary Omani style, set in formal landscaped gardens. The main auditorium seats up to 1,100 people and can be adapted for opera, concerts and theatre. The opening season brought names such as Plácido Domingo, Andrea Bocelli and Renée Fleming to the city.
There are two ways to see it. By day, the building is open for guided visits from Saturday to Thursday between 8.30am and 5.30pm, and tickets can include the opera house museum as well. In the evening, the programme covers opera, ballet, orchestral concerts and traditional Arabic and Omani music, and the venue also hosts art exhibitions. Seeing a performance is the best way to experience the hall.
The complex also includes a cultural souq with shops, upscale restaurants and landscaped gardens, which are pleasant for a walk before a show. Families with older children, music fans and anyone interested in architecture will all find something here, and the daytime tour is a good indoor option on a hot afternoon.
Book performance tickets on the official website well ahead for headline shows. Smart clothing is the norm for evening performances, so check any guidance that comes with your ticket. Allow about an hour for a building tour, and check the website before you go, as daytime visits can be affected by rehearsals and events. The venue is wheelchair accessible, and the tours team can be reached by phone, WhatsApp on +968 7111 1318 or email. If you are combining the opera house with the museum, the joint ticket is the simplest option. Groups of ten or more qualify for group rates, so ask when booking.
Taxis and ride-hailing cars can drop off at the main entrance, and there is parking on site. Shatti Al Qurum is one of the main hotel and dining areas of the city, so the opera house is easy to combine with dinner nearby or a walk on Qurum Beach. The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque is a short drive west, which makes a morning at the mosque and an afternoon tour here an easy pairing.
Royal Opera House Muscat FAQs
When can I tour the Royal Opera House Muscat?
Daytime visits run from Saturday to Thursday between 8.30am and 5.30pm.
Can I combine the tour with the museum?
Yes, tickets are sold for the opera house or the museum alone, or for both together.
How do I book a performance?
Tickets for the season's performances are sold on the official website.
What should I wear to a performance?
Smart clothing is the norm in the evening, so check any guidance that comes with your ticket.
How long does a tour take?
Allow around an hour for a building visit.
Is it wheelchair accessible?
Yes, the venue is listed as wheelchair accessible.
How can I contact the tours team?
Call +968 2440 3300 or email [email protected].
What is nearby?
The cultural souq on site has shops and restaurants, and Qurum Beach and the Shatti Al Qurum hotels are close by.