Museums -- Tangier

Museum of Moroccan Arts/Museum of Antiquities

Dar el Makhzen, Place de la Kasbah Tel: (09) 93 20 97 The Museum of Moroccan Arts is located in the prince's apartments in the imposing 17th palace Dar el Makhzen, once the governor's residence, which dominates the kasbah. The prince's apartments remain richly decorated with exquisitely painted wood ceilings, sculpted plaster work and mosaics and house works of art from throughout Morocco.
Northern Morocco is represented by firearms decorated with marquetry and pottery with subtle floral motifs. Rich medallion carpets from Rabat can be found in the museum. Silks, illuminated manuscripts and ancient decorated ceramics from Fez can also be viewed.
The Museum of Antiquities is located in the former kitchens of Dar El Makhzen. It contains bronzes and mosaics from the Roman sites of Lixus, Cotta, Banasa and Volubilis where the famous mosaic, "The Voyage of Venus", was found.
The history of Tangier and the surrounding region is related in the ground floor displays. Also featured is a room devoted to ancient funeral rites, containing a life-size model of a Carthaginian tomb surrounded by small lead sarcophagi and a child's tomb buried in a clay jar.
A visit to the museum is concluded in the peaceful Andalusian garden with a reproduction of an ancient necropolis.

American Legation Museum

8, Zankat America Tel: (09) 93 53 17 The history of the relationship between the United States and Morocco is retraced in this museum. Morocco was one of the first countries to recognise American independence and the U.S. established its legation in Tangier in 1821. On display is a letter from George Washington to Moulay Abdallah, a collection of mirrors and works by Lecouteux and Ben Ali R'Bati, the first Moroccan "naif" painter.

Forbes Museum

Palais Mendoub, rue Shakespeare Tel: (09) 93 36 06 Fax: (09) 93 43 28 The late American billionaire Malcolm Forbes collected a staggering 115,000 toy soldiers. Here, major battles throughout history from Waterloo to Dien Bien Phû are realistically recreated with lighting and sound effects. Entire armies stand on guard in the showcases while in the garden, 600 statuettes bear silent homage to the Battle of the Three Kings.