Description

Initially, the house of Sheikh Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah served as the foremost place for the museum in Kuwait. However, explorations in the Failaka Island demanded a place to house the valuable findings, and thus the residence of the Al-Sabah family was bought by the Archaeological Department and renovated it into a National Museum.

Though considered part of the old museum was destroyed and looted during the Iraqi invasion, a greater portion of it was restored later after the country’s liberation.

Features: The museum has 4 blocks, out of which one serves as the administrative section and the other three for exhibitions and are sectioned as – Archaeology, Heritage, and Planetarium. The 4 blocks are interlinked, providing an excellent and extensive view of the exhibition.

The first segment contains findings from the Failaka Islands including terracotta pots, seals, wooden doors, bronze tools, silver statues, fossils that are 16 million years of age, blades, cutters, etc. from the Hellenistic Period, Bronze Age and Neolithic Period.

The next section portrays the lifestyle of Kuwait from the 4th and 5th decades of the 20th century with the help of life-size replicas and models. The building houses a variety of souq(s), which reflects the importance of trade during the ancient days. It also exhibits the age-old diwaniya, Bride’s room, Family Room, Kitchen, Inner Courtyard, dhow building, fishing scene, etc. Antique items such as traditional dresses, jewelry, pots, incense burners, musical instruments, gramophones, cameras, weapons, etc. are on display, along with old photographs of Kuwait.

The Planetarium showcases and displays the marvel of the outer space with its constellations, stars, different phases of the moon, the universe, etc. along with the achievements and mankind’s exploration of the same.

The National Museum also has in its possession the Boom Al-Muhallab, a major dhow built somewhere in the 1930s which reminds the seafaring past of Kuwait.

Entrance fee: Gratis (No entry fee)

Location