The official seat of Kuwait's parliament with its distinctive canopy – designed to evoke the image of Bedouin tents – was the brainchild by Jørn Utzon, the Danish architect behind the Sydney Opera House. Completed in 1982, the dramatic white building is not open to the public, but it's worth a look from the outside.
National Assembly Building
Kuwait City
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
6.22 MILES
Housed in the basement of a large villa, this exquisite ethnographic museum should not be missed. There are inlaid musical instruments suspended in glass…
0.62 MILES
Once the centre of trade before the nation found oil, Kuwait City's old souq has retained its sprawling, bustling glory. The historical centre of the…
0.88 MILES
The largest of the city’s 800 mosques, opened in 1986, completely survived the Iraqi invasion. It cost KD14 million (US$46 million) to build, with…
7.71 MILES
One of the largest aquariums in the Middle East is housed in this sail-shaped building. The giant spider crabs (3.8m leg to leg), fluorescent jellyfish…
3.15 MILES
For a brilliantly bizarre art-in-action experience, visit this residential house covered with mirror mosaics. It's the creation of gloriously eccentric…
0.22 MILES
This exceptional cultural centre has stunning galleries that contain some of the highlights of the world-class Al Sabah Collection, part of which was in…
2.7 MILES
The Kuwait Towers, with their distinctive blue-green ‘sequins’, are the instantly recognisable symbols of the nation. Designed by a Swedish architectural…
13.58 MILES
In the residential suburb of Qurain, this excellent small museum is a sobering memorial to a cell of young Kuwaitis who tried to resist Iraqi arrest in…
Nearby Kuwait City attractions
1. Al Bahhar Entertainment Historical Village
0.18 MILES
With traditional wind-tower architecture, this beachside area of craft workshops and souvenir shops is a nice place to stroll in the evening. There are…
0.22 MILES
This exceptional cultural centre has stunning galleries that contain some of the highlights of the world-class Al Sabah Collection, part of which was in…
0.26 MILES
It was the pride of Kuwait and contained one of the most important collections of Islamic art in the world until the 1990 Iraqi invasion. Sadly, the…
0.28 MILES
Forming part of the National Museum complex, this series of dark corridors is built like pre-oil Kuwaiti streets, with displays full of antiques, plus…
0.57 MILES
This refurbished, simple city gate once used to enter Kuwait's walled city is around a century old. Although the wall has come down, similar gates all…
0.62 MILES
Once the centre of trade before the nation found oil, Kuwait City's old souq has retained its sprawling, bustling glory. The historical centre of the…
0.67 MILES
City gates once lined Al Soor St – one that remains is Al Jahra Gate, at the centre of where Al Soor St meets the First Ring Road. Despite the gate's…
0.67 MILES
Not to be confused with the distinctive Kuwait Towers, the striking Liberation Tower, with its UFO-like saucer, is the second-tallest tower in Kuwait. At…