Places of Interest Around Kuwait City



		The Dickson House


	The house of the first British political agent in Kuwait is still standing. The Dickson House, located across from the dhow harbor east of Sief Palace, was originally a Kuwaiti home built in 1870, but was given to Britain to use as residential headquarters. The compound was expanded several times over the years, but stands as an excellent example of early Kuwaiti architectural styles.

	Just west of the Dhow Harbor on Arabian Gulf Street lies a model of an old Kuwaiti town, which

provides a children’s playground amidst replicas of houses made of sun-baked mud, coral and seashells. Admission is free.


	In the same district, a few hundred metres inland, is the traditional souk area. Though today most shopping has moved to large complexes and modern retail shops, there are many vendors who market their wares in traditional shops in this area, where one can still get the flavor of old Kuwait.



	The National Museum encompasses four buildings and a planetarium, laid out for convenient passage from one gallery to another on inclined pathways. Each building addresses a specific aspect of Kuwait’s history and heritage, emphasizing the ancient past, development as an Islamic nation, and the dramatic effects on the country after the advent of the oil industry. More than 2000 items are on display, including an extensive library and archeological treasures. Visiting hours are daily from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and from 4:00 to 7:30 p.m. (Tel: 244-8726)

	A wealth of education awaits the visitor to the Science and Natural History Museum on Abdulla Al Mubarak Street. Each gallery contains either a collection or an exhibit covering a wide range of themes. Collections on display include fossils, stuffed animals, skeletons, and dried flowers. There are exhibits on health, petroleum, space travel, and electronics, among others. A museum planetarium presents a Sky Show weekdays at 6:00 p.m. (Tel: 244-8321)

	Tareq Rajab opened his private collection of Islamic art treasures to the general public in 1980. The Tareq Rajab Museum in Jabriya features ceramics, silver and gold jewelry, and musical instruments. It also houses one of the



		Entrance To The Tareq Al Rajab Museum

finest collections of old Qur’ans and other Arabic manuscripts in the world. All artifacts are of Arab or Muslim origin and are labeled for easy viewing. Visiting hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon and from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Saturdays through Thursdays. On Fridays, the museum is open to the general public only in the mornings, with afternoons reserved for tours. (Tel: 531-7358)