Dar Si Said Museum is the name of a museum located in Marrakech, the Red City of Morocco. Even though you may not see this museum featured in many Egypt and Morocco Tours, it is by all accounts an utterly charming venue to visit. Still, with so many Marrakech tourist attractions to choose from, is it a place which should be on your list of must-see attractions? Continue reading to see if this is a place you would like to visit and explore during your stay in this fascinating city.

Dar Si Said Museum, Marrakech.

Dar Si Said Museum is located inside an opulent old palace, and is essentially a monument to Morocco’s “master artisans” which were known as mâalems. It houses a stunning collection of artifacts, many of which are hundreds of years old.

Marrakech is home to a number of museums, but many travelers who have visited several of them would agree that Dar Si Said is without question one of the best museums in the area. In short, visiting this museum could be likened to embarking on a short journey through time.

Even though this museum is generally not featured in our current range of Egypt and Morocco Tours, we can add it to any one of our itineraries if requested.

A Brief History and Overview of Dar Si Said Museum

Interior of the Dar si Said Museum with islamic wall decorations and multicolored glass windows.

The opulent old palace in which the museum is housed was built during the 19th century for Si Said, the brother of Bou Ahmed. However, it was only many years after the death of Si Said in 1990 that the palace was converted into a museum of Moroccan art.

Today, it is perhaps the country’s finest tribute to the skilled artisans who contributed so much to the Morocco we can still see to this very day.

Morocco has a long and very entrenched history of arts and crafts, and the Dar Si Said museum does a superb job of showcasing this history all under one roof.

With an abundance of artifacts spread out of two floors, there is plenty to keep you occupied for at least two to three hours, and that doesn’t even include spending a bit of time relaxing it the building’s beautiful courtyard with its cypress trees, its fountain and etc.

The museum’s collection of rugs, mats and carpets never fails to impress, and particularly those which were made by hand in the High Atlas Mountains. Nonetheless, you can also expect to see intricately woven carpets from far off lands.

One of the museums most enthralling features is the large domed chamber which was once used for hosting wedding receptions. This part of the palace has been so well looked after and so well preserved, that you would be forgiven if you were expecting to see a bride appearing through the entrance in full ceremonial dress.

No matter which room you venture into, you can be sure you won’t be disappointed by the artifacts on display which include old Berber headdresses, weapons, carvings, ceramics and so much more.

One of the most fascinating aspects of this museum is the fact that while virtually all the artifacts are timeless relics of the past, many of the items you see are still used to this very day.

The museum really does a spectacular job at highlighting the fundamental role of arts and crafts throughout Morocco’s history; a tradition which is as alive today as it was thousands of years ago.

Visiting Dar Si Said

Interior garden of the Dar si Said Museum.

Marrakech is without a doubt a wonderful city to visit, which explains why it is featured in so many Morocco group tours.

In addition to being such a fascinating destination, it is also home to many of the very best Morocco tourist attractions, and entrance fees for nearly all tourist attractions in Marrakech are ridiculously inexpensive. A visit to Dar Si Said for example, will only cost you Dh10 for adults and Dh3 for children. That’s about $2.70 for adults and less than $1.00 for children.

Dar Si Said is open daily, apart from Tuesdays, from 09h00 to 16h45. We recommend setting aside about two hours for a visit to this wonderful museum. Visitors can make their own way there, or alternatively, they can book a tour through most good hotels.

If you book one of our classic Egypt and Morocco tours, we recommend that you study the itinerary of your preferred tour in order to ascertain whether or not it includes a visit to Dar Si Said.

If it does not but you would like it to, please inform one of our tour representatives who will be happy to amend any of our packages in order to meet your own exact needs.