Redouane Ouadi
- Feb 26, 2022
- 8 min read

Discover the stunning art galleries and museums of Morocco

Traveling across Morocco reveals a culture rich in art and history. Heritage fluidly combines everywhere to create a rich and varied culture that has been preserved by museums and art galleries. Numerous Moroccan cities are teeming with riches. plenty to keep your imagination alive.

The architectural settings that contain Morocco's art treasures, with their lavish grandeur, flawless palaces, and detailed interiors, are just as charming as the works of art themselves. Discover the top ten galleries in Morocco for contemporary, traditional, and famous artworks, from the woodwork in Marrakech to multi-cultural centers in Casablanca.

There are many museums in Morocco that showcase the country’s rich culture and history.

The Museum of Moroccan Judaism in Casablanca is one of the most popular, as it tells the story of the country’s Jewish community. Other notable museums include the Museum of Moroccan Arts in Rabat, which showcases traditional Moroccan art, and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Tangier, which features work by contemporary Moroccan artists.

Rabat's Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMVI) was the country's first public museum to achieve international museum standard.

Contemporary art galleries to visit in Morocco

Morocco has a rich history and culture, and its museums reflect this. The country has numerous museums, ranging from small local museums to large national museums. There is something for everyone in Morocco's museums, whether you're interested in art, history, or culture.

Villa Des Arts, Casablanca, Morocco

Villa Des Arts is one of the most distinctive and individual institutions of its sort in the entire Islamic world. It is the first privately owned museum in the nation and one of Casablanca's largest. The magnificent edifice, which straddles the calm Arab League Park and the Mäarif neighborhood, hosts many contemporary Moroccan art exhibitions.

It has recently transformed the area into a full-fledged modern art museum. The museum hosts annual temporary exhibitions by contemporary artists from around the world in addition to its outstanding eight hundred works of art in permanent shows. One of the main cultural foundations in Morocco, the ONA Foundation, includes The Villa Des Arts.

The Foundation's primary goal is to advance culture and creativity in the nation. Built-in 1929 and expertly renovated in 2006. The Villa Des Arts is a prime example of art deco design. It offers both locals and visitors to Casablanca a variety of exhibitions, concerts, and cultural events throughout the year.

Galerie 127, Marrakesh, Morocco

One of Marrakech's more distinctive art galleries is Galerie 127. The charmingly uncomplicated loft space is part of the exhibition's appeal, a converted flat with large windows and unpainted, naked walls. It was the first picture gallery in the Maghreb and only the third in Africa when Nathalie Locatelli opened it in February 2006.

Locatelli represents more than thirty photographers at any given moment, and the gallery's whitewashed walls are covered in breathtaking, modern travel photos from Moroccan and other photographers. Highlights have included portraits by Gérard Rondeau and Carole Bellaiche, "staged photography" by Bernard Faucon, and pictures of antique statues by Alejandra Figueroa.

Additionally, many photography seminars are given by Galerie 127. These sessions look at the history of photography from its conception to the creation of modern images to understand its function and its iconographic and political responsibilities within society.

Marrakech Museum (Musée de Marrakech) Marrakesh, Morocco

One of the biggest museums in North Africa, the Museum of Marrakech is located in the city's historic district. It is housed in the Dar Menebhi Palace, which Mehdi Menebhi erected in the 19th century. In 1997, the Omar Benjelloun Foundation painstakingly renovated the building and turned it into a museum.

The museum is frequented almost as much for its architecture as for its contents because it is a beautiful example of Moroccan architecture from the 19th century. The most extensive collection of Moroccan art exists in the Museum of Marrakech, which also houses the history and present culture of the nation. The house is a beautiful example of traditional Andalusian architecture, with carvings, a central courtyard with fountains, and intricate tilework. The mosaics and the floor-set basins from the old courtyard have been preserved.

Along with displays of historical literature, coins, and ceramics from Moroccan, Jewish, Berber, and Arab cultures, the museum also features exhibits of modern and traditional Moroccan art.

DarBellarg, Marrakesh, Morocco

DarBellarg is a non-profit dedicated to preserving Moroccan culture in all of its forms. Between the mosque and the Medersa Ben Youssef, in the center of Marrakesh's medina, is where the gallery is located. It was established by interior designer Susanna Biedermann and architect Max Alioth, and its doors opened in late 1999.

The foundation's objectives are to express and promote Moroccan culture through themed exhibitions, concerts, workshops, and a cultural program. Annually, thematic exhibitions are held; in 2007, storytelling through video was the theme, and in 2008, the theme was women's twin storytelling and textile traditions. Arabic for "the storks home,"

DarBellarg was once a fondouk that housed a bird hospital, whose owner took care of storks. For the non-profit gallery of Dar Bellarj, the space was lovingly restored to its original décor of stucco and wood after being abandoned and in a condition of ruin for thirteen years. In addition, visitors can enjoy complimentary mint tea while perusing the artwork.

Matisse Art Gallery, Marrakesh, Morocco

One of Marrakech's first galleries, the Matisse Art Gallery, was established in 1999 and focuses on solo exhibitions by emerging Moroccan artists.

Along with more well-known figures like Farid Belkahia and Hassan El-Glaoui, there have also been emerging names like calligraphers Nouredine Chater and Noureddine Daifallah, who have shown here. The Matisse Gallery exhibits works by young artists, offering them a chance to publicize and advance their careers to promote Moroccan art.

The gallery significantly educates the public about the Moroccan art scene by regularly publishing catalogs and artist biographies. The Matisse Art Gallery, tucked away in an old aristocratic estate, allows local and foreign guests to view its private collections. It is worth a visit with free entrance and an exhibition list with more than 25 well-known painters.

Musée Tiskiwin, Marrakesh, Morocco

The Musee Tiskiwin, one of North Africa's most fascinating museums, is located between the Bahia and Dar Si Said Palaces in a gorgeously restored Moroccan riad. It exhibits a unique variety of North African arts and crafts that depict the colorful cultural past of the area.

The private art collection of Dutch anthropologist Bert Flint offers the visitor a tour, with each chamber reflecting a different region of Morocco and featuring local handicrafts. Flint, who has lived in Marrakech since 1957, has accumulated the collection.

From Marrakech to Timbuktu, each room of artifacts designates a different location along the historic Saharan trade route. Many colorful items on show, including magnificently hand-woven carpets, traditional Berber clothes, and tribal handicrafts, were purchased from Marrakech's fabled souks and maintained by Flint. Some of the best Moroccan sculptures and art in the nation may be found at Maison Tiskiwin, which is open daily.

L’Atelier 21, Casablanca, Morocco

The relatively new Galerie L'Atelier 21 is located amidst the traffic jams that line Casablanca's boulevards. L'Atelier 21, which has only been operating for a few years, is quickly rising to the top of the list of the most incredible locations to see the best contemporary and modern artists, emphasizing both up-and-coming and established Moroccan artists.

Aziz Daki, a co-owner of the gallery and an art historian, claims it is among the best representations of the city's burgeoning art scene.

Daki believes the growing artistic perspective reflects King Mohammed VI's ardent and voracious cultural interests. His love of the arts continues Daki "has been one of the inspirations for what is now a growing network of collectors in Morocco." The current King of Morocco, according to L'Atelier 21, who represents a group of fourteen modern Moroccan painters, "truly is one of our art world's most important role models." Artists like Narjiss Eljoubari, Hakim Ghazali, and Majida Khattari are now on their list of clients, and the gallery features a rotating roster of showing artists.

Dar Batha Museum, Fes, Morocco

The former summer residence of Moulay Hassan, transformed into a museum in 1915, is a stunning Hispano-Moorish structure that houses a lavish collection of traditional art.

The Dar Batha is a must-see destination for everyone who enjoys art, crafts, and history. It is situated in Fez. Expect to see a lot of ornamental furnishings, including intricately carved wooden furniture, embroidery, Berber carpets, and jewelry. This is because the most traditional forms of art were functional.

The pottery room has an unrivaled collection of ceramic items that Fez artisans have expertly made over many generations on exhibit. The astrolabes, a collection of remarkable astronomical devices developed and improved by erudite Arabs, deserve special attention.

They are beautifully embellished with embedded gems and elaborate metalwork, making them more than just practical. Visitors are treated to an incredible visual feast with this impressive ornamental and functional art collection. Not least because of the lavish 19th-century architecture, which is in and of itself a work of art.

Dar Si Said Museum, Marrakesh, Morocco

The epitome of Moroccan art is kept in Marrakesh's luxurious Dar Si Said Museum, a palace from the 19th century. The contrast between the palace's Spanish and Moorish splendor and the white walls at the entryway is mesmerizing.

As you enter, the ground floor is filled with various clothing items, beaten copper artifacts, and jewelry from the Berber people. Many of the items on show are still in use and are being worn in Morocco's mountain regions, so they are not necessarily things of the past. The Dar Si Said lays great emphasis on the craft of woodworking, which recognizes the ornamental and liturgical arts of south Morocco, in addition to items that preserve Moroccan culture.

You are greeted with an array of ostentatious furnishings as they travel from room to room in the palace, including pillars, balustrades, and the renowned moucharabiehs. On geometric furniture, flowers, arabesques, and calligraphy are carved, cut out, or painted; even the most commonplace items typically feature well-wrought wood.

Musée Berbère Jardin Majorelle (Écomusée berbère de la vallée de l'Ourika), Marrakesh, Morocco

This museum is dedicated to Berber traditions, displaying costumes, craftwork, jewels & musical instruments.

The Musée Berbère is located in Jardin Majorelle's enormous and magnificent landscape. The museum solely exhibits a collection of Berber artifacts from Morocco's many areas, from the Rif to the Sahara, for the first time.

The museum's floor area is more than 200 square meters, and more than 600 artifacts are on show, giving visitors an engaging overview of Berber culture in Morocco. Visitors can feast their eyes on a variety of artistic items in the four themed rooms titled "The Berbers," "Traditional talents," "Jewels," and "Finery."

The store also functions as an art gallery with a sizable collection of antique prints from the 18th and 19th centuries. They were carefully selected by Patrick Martin, who served as the department director for books and manuscripts at Christie's for seventeen years. His selection criteria are very specific: everything displayed in the gallery must be related to either Morocco, the Islamic world, or Africa.

In addition to the outstanding art collection, the garden is a draw all on its own. Fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent and his partner bought the house in 1980 and oversaw extensive grounds renovation. Saint Laurent established a foundation in 2001 to save and care for the garden for future generations. The grounds are immaculate, providing the museum with the ideal calm backdrop.