Dar Si Said Museum – Moroccan Culture in an Opulent Palace
There are few museums in the world that manage to communicate a sense of living nostalgia in the same way as the Dar Si Said Museum does. This brilliant museum is situated in one of Morocco’s most beautiful cities – Marrakech. Here the old mixes with the new with effortless ease in a way that cannot be fully described in words. In the museum things are much the same for, though most of the articles inside date back hundreds of years, many of them are excellent examples of items that are still very much in use in the more mountainous parts of Morocco.
The Dar Si Said Museum in Morocco is housed in an opulent palace that is a delight to explore. The ground floor provides the perfect starting place and it is here that visitors can get better acquainted with splendid items from the past that are still very much in use today. Beautifully decorated weapons are presented side by side with splendidly decorative clothing and beaten copper articles while traditional Berber jewelry captivates and enchants. After examining this delightful collection you can make your way up to the first floor where you are greeted by strong Hispano-Moorish decorations and stunning cedar wood complete with intricate carvings. This reproduction of a salon is incredibly accurate and so you can easily picture a blushing bride, complete in ceremonial dress, making her way to the armchair as she prepares for her big day. Other rooms on this floor are filled with an amazing variety of carpets that originate from every corner of the globe. Some have made use of leather while others make use of textiles to create items that accurately reflect the regions that they come from.
After exploring the second floor you might want to make your way outside to the small courtyard where you will find exquisitely decorated doors and window frames. The refined ornamentation on these items is delicate and beautiful and it makes one marvel at the level of pride and joy taken in building homes in the past. Taking such a journey through the past helps you to better understand just how much of the past is still used by the living when you make your way through the city streets – ancient traditions are kept very much alive, though perhaps the general outlook on such practices has changed somewhat. So visit the Dar Si Said Museum in Riad Ez-Zaitoun El Jadid, Marrakech and enjoy this memorable journey through time for yourself.
