Kuwait Scientific Center
Encyclopedia
The Scientific Center of Kuwait, located in Salmiya
, Kuwait
, serves as a center for environmental education of the gulf region
. Initiated by the late Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah
, KSC spans over 80,000 square meters with the building covering over 18,000 square meters. The center also houses the largest aquarium in the Middle East
, holding over 100 different species of animals. Along with the aquarium, it also contains an IMAX
theatre, a harbor of historic dhow
s, and a gift shop among other contents.
The Scientific Center, as it is locally referred to, is home to one of the largest aquariums in the Gulf region with the capacity of one of the tanks at 1.5 million liters. It also has coffee shops and a food court along with a walkway that shows the more scenic views of the coastline of Kuwait. The center also attracts hundreds of students each year on field trips, organized by schools and the Scientific Center. The aim of the Scientific Center is to spread awareness to the people of Kuwait and visitors alike about the different ecosystems of the region as well as the history of the country, while also encouraging the preservation of said goals.
s, which are an important part of Kuwaiti history of pearl diving. The colors chosen were meant to create the atmosphere of the "desert" both inside and out, with the inside continuing on the theme of Kuwait's heritage and culture, built into the walls of the Scientific Center.
The Aquarium is home to a 1.5 million liter tank full of different kinds of fish and sharks. Also, it has visual representations of the nature of the Kuwaiti desert, sea and the coastline's wildlife and marine life. There is also another 100,000-liter tank which holds different sharks and coral.
There people are able to see different ships related to its history.
Salmiya
Salmiya is a district of the Hawalli Governorate in the State of Kuwait.Salmiya is located southeast of Kuwait City and is one of the largest areas in Kuwait consisting of both commercial and residential areas...
, Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
, serves as a center for environmental education of the gulf region
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
. Initiated by the late Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah
Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah
Jaber III al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, GCB , GCMG of the al-Sabah dynasty, was the Emir and thirteenth Sheikh of Kuwait, serving from December 31, 1977 until his death on January 15, 2006...
, KSC spans over 80,000 square meters with the building covering over 18,000 square meters. The center also houses the largest aquarium in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, holding over 100 different species of animals. Along with the aquarium, it also contains an IMAX
IMAX
IMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...
theatre, a harbor of historic dhow
Dhow
Dhow is the generic name of a number of traditional sailing vessels with one or more masts with lateen sails used in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean region. Some historians believe the dhow was invented by Arabs but this is disputed by some others. Dhows typically weigh 300 to 500 tons, and have a...
s, and a gift shop among other contents.
The Scientific Center, as it is locally referred to, is home to one of the largest aquariums in the Gulf region with the capacity of one of the tanks at 1.5 million liters. It also has coffee shops and a food court along with a walkway that shows the more scenic views of the coastline of Kuwait. The center also attracts hundreds of students each year on field trips, organized by schools and the Scientific Center. The aim of the Scientific Center is to spread awareness to the people of Kuwait and visitors alike about the different ecosystems of the region as well as the history of the country, while also encouraging the preservation of said goals.
Art and architecture
The building enclosure is filled with designs of Arabic calligraphy as well as Islamic art. Along with this, the walls literally have the history of Kuwait written on them. Its architecture is inspired by both the "old" mud-homes of Kuwait and the sail of a ship. The mud-home correlation is seen as the mud-colored ceramic used on the exterior of the building, while the mast is the top "roof" part of the building which is made of fabric similar to that of the sails of dhowDhow
Dhow is the generic name of a number of traditional sailing vessels with one or more masts with lateen sails used in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean region. Some historians believe the dhow was invented by Arabs but this is disputed by some others. Dhows typically weigh 300 to 500 tons, and have a...
s, which are an important part of Kuwaiti history of pearl diving. The colors chosen were meant to create the atmosphere of the "desert" both inside and out, with the inside continuing on the theme of Kuwait's heritage and culture, built into the walls of the Scientific Center.
Facilities
The Scientific Center has three main sections; Aquarium, Discovery Place and IMAX theater.The Aquarium is home to a 1.5 million liter tank full of different kinds of fish and sharks. Also, it has visual representations of the nature of the Kuwaiti desert, sea and the coastline's wildlife and marine life. There is also another 100,000-liter tank which holds different sharks and coral.
There people are able to see different ships related to its history.