Housed in Dar el Makhzen, the 17th-century palace built by Moulay Ismail, the Kasbah Museum is the single best hour of history in Tangier — and the quietest corner of the old city on a busy day.
Hours and ticket price
Open Wednesday to Monday, roughly 9 am–4 pm (closed Tuesdays and on public holidays; hours shorten during Ramadan). Entry is 60 MAD for foreign visitors, 20 MAD for Moroccan residents, paid in cash at the door. Allow 45–60 minutes.
How to find it
The museum is on Place de la Kasbah at the very top of the medina, a 15-minute uphill walk from the Grand Socco via Rue d'Italie and Bab el Assa. Cars cannot reach it — a taxi drops you at the kasbah gate. Our drivers include the kasbah in the half-day city tour.
What's inside
- The Roman mosaic Voyage of Venus, lifted from the ruins at Volubilis.
- Punic and Roman finds from Cotta and Tangier's own necropolis.
- Carved cedar ceilings, zellij and stucco in the palace's Bit el Mal treasury room.
- A relief map of Mediterranean trade routes that explains why Tangier exists at all.
- The Andalusian garden — orange trees, fountains and shade, free to sit in with your ticket.
The terrace view
Behind the garden, the terrace looks straight across the Strait of Gibraltar to Spain. On a clear morning you can pick out Tarifa. It is the best photo in the city and it costs nothing beyond the ticket.
Combine it with
The kasbah walls and Bab el Bahr gate (2 minutes), the American Legation Museum down in the medina (15 minutes' walk), mint tea at Café Baba, and the Grand Socco markets. Then head out to Cap Spartel and the Caves of Hercules in the afternoon.
FAQ
- How much does the Kasbah Museum in Tangier cost?
- 60 MAD for foreign visitors and 20 MAD for Moroccan residents, paid in cash at the entrance. Children under 12 usually enter free.
- What are the Kasbah Museum opening hours?
- Roughly 9 am to 4 pm, Wednesday to Monday. It closes on Tuesdays and public holidays, and runs shorter hours during Ramadan.
- Is the Kasbah Museum worth visiting?
- Yes — it is the best-preserved palace interior in Tangier, holds the Volubilis Venus mosaic, and its garden and terrace over the Strait of Gibraltar are the quietest spot in the medina.
- Where is the Kasbah Museum located?
- In Dar el Makhzen on Place de la Kasbah, at the top of the Tangier medina. It is a 15-minute uphill walk from the Grand Socco; vehicles stop at the kasbah gate.
- Can I visit the Kasbah Museum on a guided tour?
- Yes. Our half-day private Tangier city tour includes the kasbah, the museum and the medina with an English-, French- or Spanish-speaking guide — book it directly on WhatsApp.