Weekend Outing : Exploring Al Shaheed Park Kuwait

With kids growing up, their Sunday test and lot of homework and social activities, its difficult to go exploring Kuwait every weekend as we used to do before we became parents or when kids were small. But this is something which both myself, my hubby, love to do and luckily both our kids love to do. So whenever we get an opportunity we never try to miss it. When the weekend finally comes, we try to go to some place of fun and have some quality family time while exploring.

I did see few pictures of the park in facebook and it caught my attention immediately. So it was in my list to explore and off we went on a free weekend to explore it. A leisurely stroll that takes you away from Kuwait City’s hustle and bustle; a visit to Al Shaheed Park will quickly make you forget the daily grind, offering visitors a truly wonderful escape in the heart of the city.

Al Shaheed park, located on the periphery of Kuwait city, narrates the story of a land, its history and culture. The park consists of 200,000 square  meter of greenery, featuring beautiful botanical gardens, two museums - Thekra & the Habitat, a visitor center, a lake, walkways and jogging tracks, making it the largest urban park in Kuwait. There are plenty of benches to rest and take in the tranquility of the park and forget that you are in the middle of a city.

Al Shaheed Park is a project developed by Al Diwan Al Amiri and managed by LOYAC (Lothan Youth Achievement Center). When it comes to the environment, Al Shaheed Park aims to promote environmental awareness and its protection. By visiting the Habitat - a museum dedicated to the environment and bird migration in Kuwait, the visitors learn more about the different ecosystems, migratory birds and the effects of pollution through interactive learning stations.

In addition to the museum, a Bird Aviary was built outside of the Habitat to provide a resting area for the numerous migrating birds in Kuwait. By doing so, visitors also get a chance to view these different kinds of birds as they stop by to rest during their journey.

Located on the oldest and most historical ring roads of Kuwait, Al Shaheed Park contains a wealth of history waiting to be explored.The most historical elements found in the park is the Al-Shaab gate, one of the five remaining gates of the old Kuwait Wall. Named after the martyrs, the park consists of two main monuments: The Martyr Monument - a seven meter high glass sculpture built to honor the martyrs of Kuwait - and the Constitution Monument that celebrates the Golden Jubilee of the Kuwaiti constitution. At Thekra, Al Shaheed Park’s memorial museum, visitors are provided with more knowledge on the history of Kuwait, its past battles and the Gulf War. In order to preserve the country’s historical and cultural values, the museum aims to collaborate with the public by offering them dedicated booths where visitors can share their past personal experiences to pass it on to the next generation. You will find army battle tanks, airplanes used during war beautifully displayed.

With the vision of becoming the leading cultural platform in the country, Al-Shaheed park grants the public with a calendar of educational and cultural programs as well outdoor and indoor spaces that can be utilised for various events and activities. Such spaces include the amphitheater, the different open grass areas around the park as well as the visitor center’s multipurpose hall. The park also features beautiful outdoor sculptures created by local artists, along with cafes and restaurants and an underground parking.

Recently, the Kuwait crowd experienced a life time experience at the Amphitheater of Al Shaheed Park where the Indian King of Rap "Badshah" captured the hearts with his live performance. An evening which glittered the Al-Shaheed Park with the torch lights of thousands of mobile phones with tapping feet’s and dancing moves of the audiences who just fumed the evening to be cherished.

We loved visiting this park. A walk around it amidst the greenery make you forget the busy bustling materialistic life and gives you peace and serenity.

Do plan a visit and I am sure you would to visit again like US J)