Dar Jamai Museum
A vizier's palace of 1882 on El Hedim square, reopened in 2018 as Morocco's national museum of music.
Updated 21 October 2026
UNESCO World Heritage
Dar Jamai was built in 1882 for the Jamai family, who held senior office under Sultan Moulay Hassan, and it is a full-scale late nineteenth-century Moroccan palace - courtyard, Andalusian garden with tall cypresses, painted cedar ceilings, carved plaster and a reception room upstairs furnished as it would have been. It has been a museum since 1920 and was reorganised in 2018 as the National Museum of Music, which gave it a subject: the collection now covers the instrument families and the main Moroccan traditions - Andalusian, malhoun, gnawa, Amazigh, Hassani and Judeo-Moroccan - with instruments, recordings, listening posts and explanation of who plays what and where. That is a genuinely useful thing to do before hearing any of it live. The garden is one of the better small ones in Morocco and the building alone justifies the ticket.
History
Mokhtar ben Arbi el Jama'i, who with his brother served as grand vizier under Sultan Moulay Hassan (reigned 1873-1894), built the palace in 1882; his family also built the Jamai Palace in Fes. After the sultan's death in 1894 the family fell from favour and much of its property, the palace among it, was taken and given to the Glaoui family. From 1912 it served first as a military hospital and then as a court, and in 1920 it became a museum of Moroccan art; the large wall fountain on Place el-Hedim outside it was commissioned in 1913 (Wikipedia, Dar Jamai Museum).
Highlights
- An 1882 vizier's palace - courtyard, painted ceilings and carved plaster intact.
- The national music museum - reorganised in 2018 around Moroccan traditions.
- Traditions distinguished - Andalusian, malhoun, gnawa, Amazigh, Hassani and Judeo-Moroccan.
- An Andalusian garden - tall cypresses and planting in the courtyard.
When to go
October to April. An hour or two.
What to expect
Labelling is in Arabic and French with limited English. Listening posts are not always working. Entry is charged. It is small and the visit is short.
Nearby
El Hedim square is outside the door; Bab Mansour faces it.
Key facts
Source: Wikidata, item Q3360852, read on 18 October 2026.
What to pack for Dar Jamai Museum
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
- Comfortable walking shoes - Sightseeing means kilometres of pavement and cobbles daily. Find on Amazon
- A slim anti-theft daypack - Zips that close properly; keep it in front in crowds and on transit. Find on Amazon
- A refillable water bottle - Many cities have public fountains; save money and plastic. Find on Amazon
- A light layer + compact umbrella - For museum air-con and a sudden shower. Find on Amazon
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Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
