National Ceramics Museum
The Kechla citadel built by the portuguese in the XVIth century offers a spectacular view over the roofs of the medina which descend in a cascade to the Atlantic.
but this is only one of its attractions since the Kechla also has on display the very finest pieces of the famous Safiot pottery.
With its engraved, stamped, moulded and sculpted decoration and the subtle effects of colours achieved by painting on the enamel, the extraordinary relief effect which resulted was the pride of Safi.
Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah Museum
This house, which once belonged to a pasha, is now a museum of regional art.
the history of the local musical tradition is traced in documents on Berber songs and string instruments decorated with marquetry (guembris) used by the Gnaouas musicians to accompany their dances.
The ethnographic collections are displayed on the upper floor and should not be missed.
Bart Flint Museum
Displayed in the municipal theatre, this collection of costumes, jewellery, arms, musical instruments, carpets and furniture was assembled by Bert Flint, a deutch art historian.
It is a charming little museum of art and popular traditions from the Souss valley and the Sahara region. It should be noted that another section of the museum is situated in Agadir.
Majorelle Museum
Situated in the former studio of the french painter, Jacques Majorelle, the museum houses a collection of islamic art.
The wonderful garden is alive with the sound of birds, its incredible cacti standing out in sharp contrast against the blue facade of the villa.
Dar Si Said Museum
In one of Morocco's most beautiful cities stands a sumptuous palace housing the very quintessence of Moroccan art.
On the ground floor you can find clothes, objects in beaten copper, arms and Berber jewellery. Splendours from the past?
Not at all, for many of the objects on display are still used and worn in mountain areas.
Borj-Nord Museum
This old XVIth century fortress close to the ramparts remains true to its military tradition since it has been transformed into the Weapons Museum. The collections have been built up mainly as a result of royal donations and include a number of rare pieces.
Weapons specialists will appreciate the development of techniques while art lovers will be impressed by the splendour of the objects.
Dar Batha Museum
This Hispano-Moorish palace dating from the end of the XIXth century houses some admirable collections of traditional art from Fez. Sculpted wood, wrought iron, sculpted plaster or decorative materials that are in fact works of art in their own right. Embroidery, carpets, jewellery and coins compete with one another to attract the visitor's attention.
The Postal Museum
For the delight of philatelists from all over the world, this museum was founded in 1970. It brings together superb collections of Moroccan stamps, envelopes, telephones and telegraph machines, including the Baudot (telegraph with printer), as well as belinographs (machines for reproducing photographs over a long distance) and postal vans.
Among the major items is Morocco's first official stamp, dated 12th may 1912, showing the Aissaoua Mosque in Tangier.
Natural Science Museum
Apart from the history of the earth's geological origins, this museum also has an impressive sauropod dinosaur on display.
Its skeleton, all parts of which are completely authentic, was discovered in 1979 in the Azilal region of the High Atlas, where it lived 150 million years ago.
A reconstruction of this harmless herbivore some 15 metres long makes it easier for us to imagine how it looked when it was actually roaming the earth.
Archaeological Museum, Rabat
Built in 1932 and enlarged a few years later to display the finds resulting from intense archaeological research, this museum has housed the National Museum collections since 1986. It is one of the most sumptuous in Morocco and should certainly not be missed!
The prehistoric section brings together human remains from the middle palaeolithic period (probably Neanderthals) to the neolithic (4000 B.C.), proving the continuity and size of the population at this time.
