Attraction
Jardin Majorelle
Jacques Majorelle's cobalt-blue villa and cactus garden, later owned by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé, with a museum of Amazigh culture inside the villa.
Musée de Marrakech
A museum in the early 20th-century Dar Mnebhi palace beside the Ben Youssef Madrasa, showing Moroccan crafts and art around a grand covered courtyard.
At a glance
- Type
- Palace museum
- Area
- Medina (Ben Youssef), Marrakech, Morocco
Good to know
- Courtyard with chandelier
- Historic hammam
- Temporary exhibitions
Why we recommend it
The Musée de Marrakech occupies Dar Mnebhi, a palace built at the beginning of the 20th century by Mehdi al-Mnebhi, a qaid who served as minister of war under Sultan Moulay Abdelaziz. While he was away as ambassador in London, the palace was taken over by the family of Pasha Thami El Glaoui. After independence it passed to the state and served for a time as a girls' school, before falling into neglect. The Omar Benjelloun Foundation restored it, and it opened as a museum in 1997.
The palace itself is the star. Its central courtyard, now covered, is decorated with zellij tilework, carved cedar and fountains, and is lit by a huge brass chandelier that dominates the space. Around it, former reception rooms hold displays of traditional Moroccan objects: carpets, costumes, weapons, Fez pottery, Berber jewellery and Jewish liturgical items, along with changing exhibitions of contemporary art.
Look out for the palace hammam, whose domed chambers have been kept and are sometimes used to show artworks, and for the old kitchen areas. The roof terraces include a small menzeh pavilion. Labels can be limited, so the visit is as much about the architecture and atmosphere as the collections. Allow forty-five minutes to an hour. Most of the ground floor is on one level, which makes it easier going than many medina sights.
The museum makes a good stop for visitors who want to see a palace interior without the crowds of the Bahia, and it is a cool place to pause on a hot day. Families can move around easily, although children may find the displays static. Opening hours can change during Ramadan and on public holidays, so check locally before you set out.
It stands in the northern medina, right beside the Ben Youssef Madrasa and a few steps from the Almoravid Koubba, a domed 12th-century pavilion that is one of the oldest buildings in the city. Many visitors see all three in one morning. The walk from Jemaa el-Fnaa takes fifteen to twenty minutes through the souks, and the Le Foundouk restaurant is close by for lunch or dinner. If you lose your way, ask for the Ben Youssef Mosque, which everyone in the area knows. Petits taxis cannot reach the door, so expect to finish the journey on foot from the nearest road.
Musée de Marrakech FAQs
What building houses the museum?
Dar Mnebhi, a palace built in the early 20th century for Mehdi al-Mnebhi, minister of war under Sultan Moulay Abdelaziz.
When did the museum open?
It opened in 1997 after restoration by the Omar Benjelloun Foundation.
What is in the collection?
Traditional Moroccan objects such as carpets, costumes, weapons, Fez pottery, Berber jewellery and Jewish liturgical items, plus contemporary art.
What is the highlight?
The covered central courtyard with its tilework, carved cedar and large brass chandelier.
How long should you allow?
Forty-five minutes to an hour.
What is nearby?
The Ben Youssef Madrasa and the Almoravid Koubba are a short walk away.
How do you get there?
On foot through the souks, about fifteen to twenty minutes north of Jemaa el-Fnaa.