The Museum is placed on the site on a direct axis to the Al Alam Palace at the other end of a ceremonial boulevard. In addition to the building itself, the site contains a garden courtyard, on-site car parking and a remote energy centre serving the whole development. The main public entrance is in the form of a traditional iwan found in many Islamic buildings. It faces a ceremonial square and is flanked by arched arcades using the 3-centred arch now adopted as the norm in many Omani public buildings. The façade is clad in local Desert Rose limestone. The arcades have teak coffered ceilings. Detailing has been kept simple in recognition of traditional Omani architecture, with decorative carving reserved for the main entrance and timber ceilings. Bronze coloured cast aluminium screens in a contemporary interpretation of a traditional mashrabiyah design, shade the windows. The axial symmetry continues inside the building. A series of symmetrical spaces including an outer entrance lobby, double-height reception hall and vertical circulation zone, culminates in a central courtyard, ‘The Land and the People’. This air-conditioned triple-height space pays homage to the central courtyards found in the grander Omani traditional houses, and is surrounded by riwaqs (traditional colonnades with hardwood ceilings) on two floors, off which the galleries are arrayed. At right angles to the principal axis, a cross-axis provides enfilades (vistas) in either direction right through the building to key artefacts and architectural features. One direction leads to the Archaeological Timeline - a helical stair giving an overview of 10,000 years of Omani prehistory and history, surrounding a circular glass lift, bringing people up to the first floor galleries. The other vista leads to key exhibits in the Maritime History and Splendours of Islam Galleries, which are spatially linked via a double height octagonal space surmounted by a traditional dome. The principal axis terminates in the great doors of the 400m2 Temporary Exhibition Gallery beyond. This in turn is connected to a service area including a loading bay and acclimatisation space for incoming artefacts, which in turn is connected to the upper gallery and storage levels via a large service lift. In addition to the galleries, the public areas include an informal seating area for traditional Omani coffee, a gift shop, a VIP majlis (corporate entertainment suite), male and female prayer rooms, public washrooms, a family room for baby feeding and first aid facilities. A separate Group Entrance leads to the Education Centre. This contains classrooms equipped with AV and wet areas; a subdivisible flexible space for receptions, exhibitions, meetings and seminars; and an 80-seat lecture theatre. Back of house accommodation includes spaces for the curatorial, administrative and educational teams, collection handling and storage facilities and a specialist conservation studio. A separate wing containing a café overlooks the courtyard garden, connected to the main building by a covered colonnade.