Attraction
Amman Citadel
Amman's oldest inhabited hill, crowned by the Roman Temple of Hercules, an Umayyad palace, a Byzantine church and wide views over Downtown.
The Jordan Museum
Jordan's national museum in Ras al-Ain, telling the country's story from prehistory to today, with the Ain Ghazal statues and Dead Sea Scrolls.
At a glance
- Type
- National history museum
- Area
- Ras al-Ain, Amman, Jordan
- Official site
- jordanmuseum.jo
Good to know
- Ain Ghazal statues
- Dead Sea Scrolls
- Accessible for wheelchair users
- Children's area
- Library
Why we recommend it
The Jordan Museum is the country's national museum and the best single place in Amman to see how the land east of the Jordan River developed over more than a million years. It opened in 2014 in the Ras al-Ain district, next to the Greater Amman Municipality headquarters, after a project led by a committee headed by Queen Rania. The building covers more than 10,000 square metres and includes lecture halls, outdoor exhibition spaces, a library and a conservation centre.
The galleries are arranged chronologically, starting with animal bones around 1.5 million years old and following the story of the land through the ancient and Islamic periods to more recent times. The star exhibits are the Ain Ghazal statues, human figures roughly 9,000 years old that are described as among the oldest human statues in the world. The museum also holds part of the Dead Sea Scrolls, including the Copper Scroll, and displays a reproduction of the Mesha Stele, the Balu'a Stele with its Egyptian-style inscription and a marble head of the goddess Tyche.
Families will find a dedicated children's activity area, and the open, level galleries are accessible for wheelchair users. Allow two to three hours if you want to read the panels and see each period properly. The museum is a good first stop at the start of a trip, as it gives context for Jerash, Madaba and Petra before you visit them. Opening hours differ on Fridays, so check the official website before you go.
The museum describes itself as a national centre for learning as well as a showcase, and it runs conservation work and educational programmes alongside the galleries. For visitors, the practical advice is to start with the earliest rooms and work forward in time, saving some energy for the later periods, and to pause at the Ain Ghazal statues and the scrolls, which are the pieces most people come to see. The galleries are spacious, so take your time.
The building is about a 20-minute walk from the Roman Theatre, the Nymphaeum and the Hashemite Plaza, and it is on the route of Amman's Bus Rapid Transit. A taxi from Downtown or Jabal Amman takes only a few minutes. Combine it with a walk back through Downtown to the Roman sites, or take a short taxi ride to Jabal Amman for lunch on or near Rainbow Street.
The Jordan Museum FAQs
What are the highlights?
The 9,000-year-old Ain Ghazal statues, part of the Dead Sea Scrolls including the Copper Scroll, and a reproduction of the Mesha Stele.
When did the museum open?
It opened in 2014.
How long should you allow?
Two to three hours for the main galleries.
Is it accessible?
Yes, the museum is listed as accessible for people with disabilities.
Is it good for children?
Yes, there is a dedicated children's activity area.
Where is it?
In Ras al-Ain, next to the Greater Amman Municipality headquarters, about a 20-minute walk from the Roman Theatre.
How do you get there?
By taxi from Downtown or Jabal Amman, or on the Amman Bus Rapid Transit.
What is the phone number?
+962 6 462 9317.