DAR SI SAýD, Marrakesh

This museum has a small collection of moroccan applied arts, mostly clothing, jewelyry, leather, woodworks and historic weapons. The collection is no big deal in my opinion, but the museum has a wonderful and quiet historic courtyard. And if you ask the museum watchman for the "harem", he may show you another pretty tiled courtyard (not open to the general public) for a small bribe of 10 Dirham.

Built by Sidi Saýd, brother of Vizier (Minister) Bou Ahmed, this 19th-century palace is now an arts-and-crafts museum. The excellent collection of Moroccan antique crafts includes jewelry, local carpets and leatherwork, and pottery from the seaside town of Safi and from Tamegroute, near Zagora. One prize holding is a marble basin with an inscription indicating its 10th-century Cýrdoban origin; the basin, which is sometimes on loan to other museums, was brought to Morocco by the Almoravid sultan Ali ben Youssef for his mosque -- in spite of its decorative eagles and griffins, which defy the Koran's prohibition of artistic representations of living things. At some point during the Saadian dynasty, it found its way to the Ali ben Youssef Medersa and was later moved here. The palace's courtyard is stunning, filled with flowers and cypress trees and furnished with a gazebo and fountain; and the adjacent salons burst with jewelry, daggers, and ornate kaftans. The most extraordinary salon is upstairs, a somber room in the most authentic style of the period: gibs cornices, zellij walls, and an amazing carved-cedar ceiling painted in the zouak style (bright colors in intricate patterns). Guides are available on-site

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Originally the town house of Sidi Said, this building now contains the Museum of Moroccan Arts.
Quite an interesting Museum, not just for its exhibits, but also for the architecture and decoration of the house. The highly decorative cedar wood ceiling is stunning-my photo below doesn't do it justice I'm afraid

The museum is on 3 stories and in typical Islamic style, rooms open onto an inner courtyard and garden, through ornate doors that are good examples of High and Anti Atlas craftsmanship.

The gardens are quite pleasant too, with pathways set out in symetrical patterns leading to a covered fountain. -see my photos below.

Open 0900 -11.45 14.30 -17.45 Mon, Wed, Thur and W/ends.
0900 -11.30 15.00 -17.45 Fri

20dh entrance fee.
Most explanations are in Arabic and French, with a few in English

Dar Si Said is worth to visit, not only because of the museum, but also because the building itself. It has the typical characteristics of the houses in this area.

At the first floor is a nicely decorated room with a abundant carved and painted wooden ceiling. In this museum of Morrocan art you can see a collection of silver jewellery, old muskets, carpets and other local handicrafts.

At a few minutes walk southeast of the busy Djemaa el-Fna square is the Dar Si Said palace, which is now the very interesting Museum of Moroccan arts.

The lovely central courtyard is a nice tranquil place to be, like the whole palace is. After the spectacle in the city and at the square it's very relaxing to spend some time here.

The Dar Si Said Museum of Moroccan Arts is based in a palace dating from the nineteenth century.

There are some interesting exhibits, including a primitive wooden ancestor of the ferris wheel, and the building itself is beautiful, especially the reception room on the upper floor.

The custodian was very assiduous and helpful in showing us round, and we were very happy to give him the customary tip at the end of our visit.