Sultan Qaboos bin Said and French President François Mitterrand established the Omani and French Museum in 1992 to honour the history of Omani-French relationships. The museum occupies the former residence of the French consul (known as Bait Fransa), built in the early 19th century. Sultan Faisal bin Turki gave the building to the French in 1896 during a period of rising French influence. The museum houses photographs of Muscat and French diplomats, French-Omani costumes, jewellery and furniture, scale models of ships, maps, etc.