Atturaif, once a thriving 18th century ruling city of towering mud brick palaces, mosques, and defensive walls, lay in ruins until 2010. This UNESCO World Heritage Site houses a living museum and is a world-class cultural tourism destination. Within the site, a visitor center, farm, shaded walkways, exhibition galleries, signage, and multimedia have been carefully designed to fit within the existing ruins to welcome and educate the public. Large areas of traditional courtyard homes have been restored and repurposed as a souk (market).