Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Following intense pressure from the UN, the majority of the museum's collection was
eventually returned, but many pieces had been broken in transit, poorly stored and, some
suggest, deliberately spoiled. Nonetheless, this beleaguered collection has since been dis-
played in London's British Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York
while waiting to be restored in its entirety to Kuwait's National Museum.
Over 2000 items are now on display, covering various aspects of Kuwait's national her-
itage, including ancient treasures from Failaka Island, stamps and seals from the Bronze
Age, axe heads and a wonderful Hellenistic limestone dolphin. The dhow in the courtyard
(a replica of
Muhallab II
that was destroyed by the Iraqis) makes a good photo opportun-
ity at sunset.
ously described as the Heritage Museum and Culture Museum - is in Building 2, in the
rear of the museum complex. It illustrates daily life in pre-oil Kuwait through a diorama
of full-sized figures going about their various businesses - be sure to see the bead maker
and what the museum booklet describes as the 'men's over-robe tailor'.
Buses 12 and 16 (departing from the main bus station) stop a couple of blocks from the
museum complex.
Planetarium
PLANETARIUM
( 2245 1195; Arabian Gulf St, Qibla; 9.30am-noon & 5.30-6.30pm Mon-Thu, 5-6.30pm Fri, 9.30-10.30am Sat;
)
Forming part of the National Museum complex, the wonderful, modern Plan-
etarium has regular shows.
Beit al-Badr
HISTORIC BUILDING
(Arabian Gulf St, Qibla; 8am-1pm & 4-7pm Sat-Wed; )
A traditional mud-built house,
with heavy carved doors, Beit al-Badr was built between 1838 and 1848 and is one of the
last examples of pre-oil residential architecture in the city. It is located alongside Sadu
House. Opening times are erratic so, as there is no phone number, visitors have to take pot
luck.
National Assembly Building
HISTORIC BUILDING
(Arabian Gulf St, Qibla)
Close to the National Museum, this interesting white building with its
distinctive canopy was designed by Jørn Utzon, the Danish architect who also designed
