The Tetouan Ethnographic Museum, also known as the Bab El Oqla Museum, is an ethnographic museum located east of the old medina of Tétouan in Morocco. It is named after one of the seven historic gates of the city, Bab El Oqla.
Foundation and History
The museum was originally founded in 1928 under the name "Muslim home" or "Museum of Indigenous Arts" and was initially housed in the Bennouna house in the heart of the Medina. It was later transferred to one of the bastions of the Tetouan enclosure at Bab El Oqla, a historic fortress built on the orders of the Alaouite Sultan Moulay Abd al-Rahman around 1830. The museum was officially inaugurated at this location on July 29, 1948. In January 2022, the National Museum Foundation re-opened the museum after several months of renovation and maintenance.
Location
The museum is situated at 68, Rue Sqala, Bab El Oqla, Tétouan, Morocco.
Museum Content
The museum is divided into three main sections:
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Geographical and historical presentation of Tetouan – This section covers the city's history from its reconstruction in the 15th century through the Spanish presence, and into the contemporary era (19th and 20th centuries). It also addresses the city's golden age and prosperity during the 16th and early 17th centuries, as well as its decline in the 18th century.
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Urban organization and architecture – This section provides an immersion into the urban organization of the old city and its various architectural elements. It presents the "Squndo," a 15th-century water distribution system that runs through the medina, as well as architectural components such as carved and painted wood, zellij (mosaic tilework), tombstones, and doors.
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Arts and crafts – This section is dedicated to the arts and crafts of the old city of Tetouan, presenting a rich collection of ancient objects including caftans, jewelry, and musical instruments. Notable exhibits include the Chedda of Tetouan (a traditional Moroccan costume composed of jewelry and a caftan known locally as "El Bahja"), 19th-century musical instruments used in local festivals, and traditional Moroccan djellabas with selham mekhzani.
Type
Ethnographic Museum
