Visit to Display Center Ahmadi Q8

After I landed in Kuwait, I made a list of places to be visited. Display Center in Ahmadi was one of them. My hubby is a very eager person when it comes to exploring places but for some reason he was not eager to take me to Display Center. We have visited Ahmadi innumerable times and every time he tells me that there is nothing much to see at Display Center as he had visited it once.


Few days back, he had some work at Ahmadi and I insisted that he drops me and my daughter at Display Center and he had to agree. 

The moment I entered the Display Center, it reminded me of my visit to the ONGC Oil Museum at Dehradun,India. I understood why my husband was not eager to bring me here.As a wife of a person who has been working with oil company's for years, I know the process/story of oil well.


Anyway, I loved my visit to the KOC Display Centre which is a ultra-modern audio-visual museum and the museum is devoted to the history of oil, from geological formation through exploration, drilling, and recovery of Kuwait’s oil industry, past and present.

KOC Display Centre was founded in 1956 aiming to give its visitors the opportunity to have a tour through which they can gain information about the company and its production operations.It was then simply telling the story of oil throught photos, statistics, some maquettes and documentations. the Display Centre was developed, renewed and expanded in 1965, 1978, and 1996 to match the expansion of the company's operations and its increasing production.

In 2008 the Display Center was updated and renewed once again, thus giving a more comprehensive picture about KOC and its Operations, in addition to some idea about the technologies used in oil and natural gas production as well as oil facilities affiliated to the company. The Display Center also includes a section for documenting the events of the defunct Iraqi regime invasion and the biggest environmental disaster it caused in modern history by burning of Kuwait oil fields.

It is open by appointment, tel 2398 2393 / 2398 9111 / 2398 1678. KOC can also arrange for groups to tour the oil fields themselves.

More pic's from Memorial Museum

I am attaching few more pictures from Memorial museum....I tried in my earlier post but could not attach them. Hope I am successful this time.

People from Kuwait went to Turkey for safety

Painting depicting people fighting for their P.O.W

Dress of an AMERICAN officer on display

Jeet standing near a statue of a Kuwaiti officer

Photos of Bangladeshi soldiers who died in the war

Speech of then President of USA, George Bush which he gave after Kuwait's Liberation

Some of the pictures have not been loaded correctly cant understand.Hope the problem doesn't continue...just clueless.

The House of Mirror's, Q8

It was five minutes to 10, when we reached the unique House of Mirrors. We had an appointment with the lady of the house at 10am to have a tour of the house. As we rang the bell, a very sweet beaming elderly lady in a satin laced gown opened the door to welcome us. Just like the house, the radiant smile of the lady fascinated us. She is Lidia Qattan, the creator of this unique house. Born in Italy in 1936 as Lidia Scagnolari , she became Lidia Qattan when she married the famous Kuwaiti artist Khalifa Al-Qattan in 1958. She herself is a painter, sculpture, jeweler and writer.

The boundary wall of her house

Another design in glass on her boundary wall

Her kitchen cum dinning room N drawing room

As we entered the house, we were astonished at the glass work in the walls, passage, doors, windows, ceiling ,furniture even kitchen cabinets etc, in short she has decorated her entire house, inside and outside, with pieces of mirrors. A perfect host as she took us to the drawing room and served us cold drinks, cookies, pastries and chocolates. She took extra care of our 2year old daughter giving her juice and repeatedly asking if she needed anything. We took with us gifts which represents our culture and state – ASSAM which we gifted her. After that she sat down and started her story. Fascinating, gripping and engrossing, it took us to 60’s when she started her first piece of glass work. In 1960, when her husband went abroad for his art exhibition,she felt lonely and decided to decorate the cabinet which prior to his departure her husband had completed and created with his own hands. She had some broken pieces of mirror which she used to make the cabinet shine. When her husband returned he was happy, impressed and dazzled by her work. He inspired and encouraged her to do more. For many of us, we superstitiously belief not to keep broken mirrors at home as it suppose to bring bad luck to the family. But for Lidia a broken mirror inspired her to do something creative and set her upon the journey of a lifetime. Again once during another tour of her husband, when he was away for four days, she decorated the one wall of her drawing room with mirrors making fish, sea animals, Arabic inscription, making it look like a sea. Again after her husband’s return he just loved it and encouraged her to do it on the other walls. Thus began her journey of and transformation as she evolved into an artist into her own right and used her very own home as her canvas. Over the course of several years Lidia has painstakingly ‘bedazzled’ every inch of her home with broken mirror pieces in every shade of the rainbow. Today it is a popular tourist destination and museum with visitors taking guided tours every day.

The fan in her drawing room nicely done with glass

Her Kitchen

Her Kitchen(2)

The door of her study room

Mirror Door

Glass Stair-case

The tour begins in the kitchen, which is called ‘My World Hall’ and features designs relevant to the mystery of science followed by a walk through ‘Planet Earth Hall’, or the living room, which is designed along the lines of our Earth and nature. Next, visitors are led to ‘Zodiac Hall’, which is Lidia’s now grown daughter Jalila’s bedroom, and it is covered with sparkling galaxies, planets and all the signs of the Zodiac. Visitors walk through a hallway with a dual theme. Known as both ‘Shark Hall’ and ‘Corridor of Nations’, the journey of shimmering reflected light goes on to enthrall guests with sharks and other wonders of our world. The tour climaxes with breathtaking designs featured in ‘Sea World Hall’, ‘Universe Hall’ and ‘Knowledge Hall’, which also serve as a bathroom, bedroom and library. In the room of the Universe, there are paintings on the wall done by her and the glass work on the floor of the room are all related to the universe. It begins with the beginning of the Universe, to the consciousness of people on how to spread love and peace. There is also a painting of Koran, which she has decorated with glass.

Bathroom

Bathroom(2)

Glass Window

A part of the wall in the UNIVERSE  HALL

Sea World

Sea World(2)

Then we take the ‘Stairs to Inspiration’. The staircase, which features gilded birds in flight, leads to the first floor that houses separate art galleries for both Lidia’s and her late husband Khalifa’s work. The first big hall is the art gallery for her husband’s paintings, next to it is a small room, where she had kept the things used by her husband while painting very nicely. There are also pictures of Khalifa done by other artist, pictures with dignitaries, certificates by associations and universities in this room. We came to know from her that her husband was a founder member of Kuwait’s National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters. Then we proceed to the next room where there are more paintings by her husband Khalifa. The small place in between the two rooms, there are paintings and jewellery done by Lidia. After that in the other rooms are Lidia’s art….paintings on different canvases, mirror work, sculptures, lamps, jewellery and candleholders.

Glass Staircase

Art Gallery...work of her husband displayed

Another room where her husband's work is displayed

Pictures of Khalifa Al-Qattan done by other artist

Certificates of Appreciation her husband got

Things used by her husband

Things used by her husband(2)

Now again, few of the art by Lidia Qattan which she had done in various medium. Jeet my husband asked her where she took formal training looking at her various form of art. She replied "I never had any formal training. I just tried out the various forms myself". Unbelievable but true. A qualified nurse at the same time a fabolous artist.

The Glass basin in her bathroom

Art Therapy Room

Nucleus of the galaxy Room

Nucleus of the galaxy Room...The Stars(2)

“And now, the star of the show”, she says, leading us to a darkened chamber containing what she calls “art therapy”. With soft music in the background, it has a relaxing environment. Just as the stars of the zodiac glowed in darkness in the downstairs, similarly this room has paintings and few work of light which glow. She left us for few minutes to contemplate. The tour ends with “nucleus of the galaxy”, where she creates satellites, stars, planets on the walls and ceiling. “Look at the sky”, she says."You see them moving".

The Gift Shop where some of her works are for sale

One is indeed fascinated and mesmerized by now. For many people it is the House of Mirrors but to Lidia it is the fulfillment of her dream.

A wall of her house

Another Wall

Ring ahead to request a tour and you should bring a small gift in exchange for the hospitality you will no doubt receive.

With Lidia Qattan and her grand daughter in her drawing room

Address: House of Mirrors

Qadisiya, Block 9

Street 94, House No 17

Phone Number: 22518522


We didnot face any problem finding the house. It was our first visit to the house and also to the area. Anyway you can check the google map before you make a visit to this unique house.



View Larger Map

Al Qurain Museum,Q8

Another place to visit in Kuwait, if you want to see the consequence of Iraqi invasion is Al Qurain Museum.

The white Chevrolet belonging to Iraqi intelligence and the mini-bus too belonged to the Iraqi's to carry soldiers to attack residences  

Located in the residential suburb of Qurain, a 20-minute taxi ride southeast of the city centre, this small museum is a memorial to a group of young Kuwaiti patriots who tried to resist arrest in February 24, 1991. On the 2nd of August 1990, when Saddam’s army invaded Kuwait, destroying the land and torturing the people, young men rushed to form groups as part of what is known as popular resistance. One of such group was Al Messilah Group(Kuwait Force).It consisted of 31 young men. Their main aim was to resist the invading force by all means. They collected weapons from many sources. After gathering a vast amount of weapons, the leader of the group decided, after consulting his group that some of the supply should be used for operations and the surplus should be buried so as to be used when needed.

One of the tanks used by the Iraqi's infornt of the house

The group operations concentrated on snipping Iraqi soldiers and planting bombs on Iraqi munition trucks. At the beginning, the group members did not face any difficulty in accomplishing their tasks. This was due to the carelessness of the invaders during deployment since they started to become stricter in their control. The Al Messilah group decided to move to Al Qurain district as it was a new area unknown to the Iraqi intelligence, thus providing a suitable and secure base. On 17th of January, when the air attack was announced, they shifted to a house in another area of the same district since the owner was not in Kuwait at that time.

The back of the house

A view of the house showing a missing wall and exposed piping from repeated blasts.

On 24th February 1991, at 8 o’clock in the morning of the same day, the leader asked his group members to wear the uniform he had designed, being a white shirt inscribed with the name and the motto of the group. While preparing their weapons, an Iraqi intelligence car stopped in front of the group headquarters. It was patrolling the area looking for young Kuwaiti men and was followed by a mini-bus transporting a number of armed Iraqis. An Iraqi soldier stepped out of the car and walked towards the house. He knocked on the door but nobody answered. Meanwhile, inside the house, the group leader and one of the members standing by his side were watching the developing situation through a window facing the street. The leader then realized he was in a crucial situation and a decision had to be taken. It was either surrendering to the Iraqi forces meaning certain execution or defending oneself and homeland. The Iraqis bombarded the house for hours with machine guns, bombs and eventually with tanks. The battles continued until six o’clock in the evening. The Iraqi soldiers used tanks (two of which are displayed in front of the Villa) and machine guns and over powered the Kuwaiti group. Three members of the group were martyred immediately and 9 were captured including the leader of the group. Their tortured bodies were later found in another place. Luckily seven members survived the battle. The name of the leader of the group was Sayyed Hady Sayyed Mohammed Alawy .The rest of the group (11 members) could not participate either because some of them were held prisoners or because they couldn’t get to the headquarters before time.

The fan of one of the rooms of the house badly damaged by the blast

The walls of the house badly damaged

The staircase and walls shows signs of the battle

General Schwarzkopf, who visited the house on 14 April 1994, commented that 'when I am in this house it makes me wish that we had come four days earlier then perhaps this tragedy would not have happened'. The Iraqi occupation lasted for seven long months, during which time many similar raids on the homes of Kuwait families were made: or, as the editor of a local publication put it, the Iraqi army 'was like a locust that ate both the green and the dry'. To understand what invasion meant to the ordinary Kuwait family, allow half an hour to visit this sobering museum. H.H.Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmed Al Jaber Al Sabah, the Amir of Kuwait, visited the villa and ordered that it becomes a national monument. Today it stands as a pride and a reminder of a path to be followed by young Kuwaiti generations. It also stands as a testimony of Iraqi invasion.

A memo written by General H. Norman Schwarzkoff of the U.S. Military.

Cannon shells from the battle

Inside the museum there is a scaled replica of the home where the battle took place.

Weapons used during the battle.

While visiting the memorial, you can see the destructive remains of the battle. Entire walls missing, floors completely gone and metal twisted in ways you wouldn't think possible. Gaping holes in the walls, staircases destroyed, windows exploded, and structures torn from their foundation. Seeing the actual battleground and being able to walk through the house were these men were fighting for their lives and their country nearly puts you at a loss for words. There are plaques located around the house that show where the men lost their lives or were captured. When you visit this site and walk around what remains of the home, you can only imagine what these men must have gone through. The museum part of the house is on the ground floor and displays various relics from the battle. There is a reconstructed scaled model of the area so that you can see it from a bird's eye view.

A wall with pictures of the martyrs lost in the battle as well as their families.

There are pictures of the martyred men and the families they left behind along with some information written about them such as where they actually work, how many children they had, photos of the children, what they were wearing at the time etc. Shell casings, machine guns, and various documents are on display as well. The documents on display include memos given to the Iraqi troops during the occupation, with orders to "burn and destroy all the homes on which there are slogans hostile to our leadership, the pictures of the defunct Al-Sabah dynasty, or the Kuwaiti flags", "Burn and destroy every district in which any military, security, or Popular Army individual is martyred", "Arrest any person who owns, or keeps at his home a weapon" and "Annihilate any hostile demonstration." While visiting the memorial, you can see the destructive remains of the battle. Entire walls missing, floors completely gone and metal twisted in ways you wouldn't think possible. Gaping holes in the walls, staircases destroyed, windows exploded, and structures torn from their foundation. Seeing the actual battleground and being able to walk through the house were these men were fighting for their lives and their country nearly puts you at a loss for words. There are plaques located around the house that show where the men lost their lives or were captured. When you visit this site and walk around what remains of the home, you can only imagine what these men must have gone through. The museum part of the house is on the ground floor and displays various relics from the battle. There is a reconstructed scaled model of the area so that you can see it from a bird's eye view. There are pictures of the martyred men and the families they left behind along with some information written about them such as where they actually work, how many children they had, photos of the children, what they were wearing at the time etc. Shell casings, machine guns, and various documents are on display as well. The documents on display include memos given to the Iraqi troops during the occupation, with orders to "burn and destroy all the homes on which there are slogans hostile to our leadership, the pictures of the defunct Al-Sabah dynasty, or the Kuwaiti flags", "Burn and destroy every district in which any military, security, or Popular Army individual is martyred", "Arrest any person who owns, or keeps at his home a weapon" and "Annihilate any hostile demonstration." One damaged chevrolet belonging to the owner of the Villa, another that belonged to the leader of the group, another used by the Iraqi intelligence, the white colour mini bus used to carry soilders and two tanks used by Iraqi soldiers to attack are also kept.

The white Chevrolet belonging to Iraqi intelligence

One Chevrolet that belongs to Bader Al-Eedan, the owner of the house and the other to belongs to the group leader which was used in military operations and medical necessities transition.  

Two tanks are placed in front of the house. This is one of the tank used by Iraqi soldiers to attack the house from Front.

List of weapons displayed in the museum

As you finish the tour of the house you’ll enter an air conditioned section where many artifacts and documents related to this site are displayed (at our backside)

The group leader Sayyed Hady Sayyed Mohammed Alawy

The story of the battle in English

Finding the museum is not an easy job. First time we visited it was late evening and couldn’t find out. Second time we visited it we were able to find the villa but as it is Ramadan and we didn’t know the timings it was close. But we took few pictures of the house. Third time we were lucky as it was open. We spend some time and then went to the new Lulu Hypermarket which is newly opened in Al Qurain area.

The story in Arabic

How to reach the museum: While coming from Fahaheel or Ahmadi area, take the 208 road. Then before the first traffic point take right and go ahead. You will get the first round about, go straight; then again the second round about go left; then third round about go right. Then take the first left turn and there is the Al Qurain museum.

Address: Qurain Block 4; Street 3

House no:086/016
Timings :
Mon- Sat 8.30am -12.30pm
                4.30-8.30pm
Friday morning off
Afternoon: 4.30-8.30pm
Winter Visiting hours: 4-8.30pm
1st Day of Eid off
Ramadan Timing: 8.30pm-11pm