Muscat: Omran, the Government of Oman's tourism development and investment arm, on Saturday opened a Natural History Museum at Swiss-Belhotel Resort on the Masirah Island in the east of the country.
The centre gives visitors a chance to learn more about the unique wildlife and marine environment surrounding Oman's largest island.
The centre has already proved popular with hotel guests and with the local community, with more than 350 people visiting since its soft opening.
The centre provides invaluable information about the wealth and diversity of the island's birdlife, it coral reef ecosystem and its other wildlife.
It also highlights the fact that Masirah is home to the world's largest population of nesting turtles and hosts all four of Oman's nesting species - Loggerhead, Green, Olive Ridley and Hawksbill.
"Omran has a strong commitment to corporate social responsibility and we take pride in preserving the environments in which we work. Oman's natural history is one of our greatest assets in promoting Oman as a unique tourism destination," said Omaran CEO, Wael Bin Ahmad Al Lawati.
"The Natural History Museum at Swiss-Belhotel Resort will play an important role in educating the local community about the unique and precious habitat around the island and will help in the preservation of one of Oman's most diverse ecosystems," said Joe Coelho, GM Swiss-Belhotel Resort Masirah Island.
"The centre has been hugely popular with the local community already, especially with schools. It offers a fun and interactive way for people to learn about their surroundings and about the beautiful island of Masirah," he added.
Swiss-Belhotel Resort Masirah is located 15km off the southeast coast of Oman in Masirah, an area famed for its sandy beaches and a home to all four of Oman's nesting species of turtles.
The island is magnificently diverse, offering a wide range of water-sports and excursions into the nearby hills.
