Dar Jamai Museum

Dar Jamai Museum occupies a late-19th-century palace built for the vizier Mohamed ben Larbi Jamai on the north side of Place el-Hedim in Meknès, Morocco. Converted to a museum, it is one of the best places in the city to see the decorative arts of the region. The collections include Meknassi damascene metalwork, with its fine inlay of silver on iron, Fassi and Meknassi ceramics, embroidered textiles, carved and painted woodwork, jewellery, and traditional musical instruments. The building is itself the main exhibit. Rooms open off a courtyard, with tiled salons whose painted cedar ceilings, carved stucco and zellige walls are as notable as the objects inside. An Andalusian garden with orange trees, palms and a fountain adjoins the palace and offers a quiet place to sit away from the square. Visitors typically spend about an hour. The museum is open daily from 9:00 to 17:00, except Tuesdays, and admission is about 20 MAD, with young children admitted free. Mornings are usually quiet, and the salons are best seen in daylight. It sits about two minutes on foot from Bab Mansour, which makes it an easy addition to a walk around Place el-Hedim, the Bou Inania Madrasa and the medina. Labels are limited, so a short read about Meknès craft traditions beforehand adds context. Photography is generally allowed without flash. The cool interior also makes it a useful midday stop in the warmer months, when the square outside is exposed and hot. The museum is a good introduction to the imperial city before visiting the larger monuments.