- Address: Ave Yacoub el Mansour, Rabat, Morocco
- Phone: +212 37 701 919
- Working hours: daily from 10.00 to 18.00; closed on Tuesdays
- Admission: 1 USD
By a good worldwide tradition, in the capital there is a museum with the most extensive collection of all kinds of artifacts brought from all over the country. The Moroccan Archaeological Museum complements Rabat and creates the effect of instantaneous immersion in the living history of the state. Going to the museum will not take you much time, but will give you the necessary knowledge about the culture of the country you came to. By the way, the entrance fee is more a symbolic fee, so for a budget tourist it's a great option to diversify the trip and see with your own eyes the most significant historical finds.
A bit of history
The first exhibits appeared in a small room of a building built in the first half of the 20th century. These were collections of pre-Islamic and prehistoric epochs that were discovered by archaeologists in Volubilis, Tamusida and Banas. In 1957 the collection of collections was significantly enlarged with new exhibits, and the museum was given the status of state.
After the recognition of the national status of the museum, there have been changes for the better. Now all the exhibits are arranged in chronological order and on a typical basis.
What to see in the museum?
The ground floor of the Archaeological Museum of Rabat in Morocco is usually occupied by temporary exhibitions on all sorts of historical topics. There can be as simple photographs and paintings, as well as whole models and sculptures. Along with the exhibitions, the ground floor is occupied by exhibits of prehistoric cultures. Basically, these are stone products, ancient sarcophagi, pottery and arrows that people used long ago to survive. Pay attention to the carved articles, all of them are the fruits of the manual laborious work of the ancient man and his good imagination. The most valuable prehistoric collections are the things of Acheulian, pebble, Mousterian and Aterian cultures. By the way, the traces of the latter were found only in Morocco, and nowhere else.
Of course, in the museum, much attention is paid to Islamic archeology, tk. Islam was and remains the state religion of Morocco. A considerable part of the exposition is occupied by items from the pre-Roman and Roman eras. The finds indicate that there were active trade relations between the local inhabitants and the Mediterranean regions. In addition, there are many different dishes and other household items, as well as Roman military decorations and decorations.
The State Archaeological Museum boasts a significant collection of antique bronze sculptures. The main pride of the collection is the statue of "Ephebe, Crowned with Ivy" of the 1st century AD. Ephebs are the young men of ancient Greek society who have reached adulthood. The sculpture depicts him with a torch in his left hand and, as the name implies, with a wreath on his head made of ivy. Marble sculptures in importance and quantity also occupy far from the last place in the museum. All of them are collected in a separate collection. It is based on statues of Egyptian and Roman gods, for example, Anubis and Isis, Bacchus, Venus and Mars. Particularly valuable are the sculptures "The head of the Berber youth", "Sleeping Silenus" and "Sphinx".
How to get there?
You can get to the Rabat archaeological museum in several ways. The easiest way is to take the city bus and get to Mule Assan Avenue. Also there is an opportunity to go to the museum directly from the airport , also by bus. In this case, you need to get to the avenue Moam V. You can use the tram if you find one of the stops. In general, there is no shortage of public transport around the city. The museum itself is located on Rue al Brihi Street, just behind the As-Sunn Mosque.
Even if you are not strong in history, try to allocate a little time to visit the main archaeological museum of the country. The museum runs daily from 10 am to 6 pm. It is closed only on Tuesdays.
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