Nejjarine Museum of Wooden Arts and Crafts

The Nejjarine Museum of Wooden Arts and Crafts occupies a restored 18th-century funduq, a merchants' inn, on Place Nejjarine in Fès el-Bali, Morocco. The building, entered beside the ornate tiled Nejjarine fountain, was designed to lodge traveling traders and their animals around a central courtyard, and its three galleried floors of carved cedar, painted ceilings and zellige make the architecture as much of an exhibit as the collection. Displays focus on the woodworking traditions of Fès: carved cedar doors and window frames, inlaid chests, musical instruments, astrolabes, barbers' and builders' tools, wedding furniture and the equipment of the carpenters' guild. Labels in French and English explain techniques such as marquetry, turned latticework and cedar carving, and the upper floors show how wood was used in daily life and ritual. A rooftop cafe at the top of the building looks across the medina's flat roofs, minarets and the green tiled roofs of religious buildings, and is a popular rest stop and photo spot. Most visitors spend about 45 minutes inside, longer with a coffee on the terrace. Mid-morning is generally the quietest time, before tour groups arrive around midday; the museum is small enough that a crowd of guided visitors can fill the courtyard. The museum is reached on foot from Bab Bou Jeloud via Talaa Sghira, roughly 15 minutes through the medina, and it fits naturally with the Zawiya of Moulay Idriss II and Place Seffarine nearby. Admission is about 20 MAD, which is low for the quality of the restoration. Photography is generally permitted, and the courtyard and rooftop offer the best vantage points. Opening hours can vary, and the museum is closed during Friday midday prayer, so checking on arrival is advisable.