Designed by Michel Ecochard and opened in 1983, the National Museum traces Kuwait’s past from the Bronze Age finds of Failaka Island to the age of pearl diving, with a planetarium and a dhow in its grounds.
The French architect Michel Ecochard arranged the museum as five buildings around a central garden, echoing the courtyard plan of a traditional Arab house, with the main buildings linked by raised walkways.
Its sections include the Kuwait Heritage Hall, the Hall of Archaeology — with finds from the excavations on Failaka Island — and a planetarium. In the grounds, the dhow Al Muhallab recalls the ocean-going ships of Kuwait’s merchant fleet.
The museum was looted and set on fire during the occupation of 1990–91; the buildings have since been restored. Some halls may be closed for renovation, so check before you visit.
Good to know
- Combine with Sadu House next door and the Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah galleries a short walk away.
