Tetouan Ethnographic Museum (Bab el-Okla)

The Tetouan Ethnographic Museum is housed in the Bab el-Okla bastion at the edge of the Tetouan medina in northern Morocco. The medina, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997, was rebuilt from around 1484 by Andalusian refugees, and the museum reflects their legacy and that of the wider region. The bastion is a fortified gateway of the city wall, and its rooms and courtyard have been adapted to display the material culture of Tetouan and the Jebala. The collections cover traditional life, with textiles and embroidered costume, jewellery, musical instruments, ceramics, copper and brass work, carved and painted furniture, weapons and household items. Displays are typically arranged thematically, with rooms recreating domestic scenes such as the bridal chamber or reception salon of a Tetouan house, which illustrate Andalusian-influenced decoration. The curatorial approach is immersive and thematic, helping visitors see how objects were used in daily and ceremonial life rather than presenting a strict timeline. The building is an example of fortified urban architecture adapted for cultural use, with thick walls and a pleasant interior courtyard. It has been restored in the past decades as part of broader medina conservation programmes, and its condition is reasonable, although exhibition space is modest. The museum makes a good first stop on a walk through the medina, since it provides context for the crafts and houses visitors will see in the lanes beyond the gate, and the gate itself is a landmark.