Musée de la Palmeraie review: our verdict
The Musée de la Palmeraie is first and foremost a garden. The landscape designer and perfumer Abderrazak Benchaâbane, who also created the Musée du Parfum in the medina, has composed several distinct atmospheres here: a dry cactus garden featuring plants from the Americas, a pool bordered by palm trees, an Andalusian garden planted with fruit trees, and rose-lined paths. Metal sculptures punctuate the lawns, even extending into the water of the pools.
Inside the house, small white rooms house a collection of modern Moroccan art, whether abstract or naïve. The place is rarely crowded, and that is what gives it its charm: an hour of quiet on the outskirts of the city, alone, with two people, or as a family. It is not suitable for a visit without a vehicle: the museum is located at Dar Tounsi, on the edge of the road to Fès, and you reach it through a small popular neighborhood.
The best time to go is in the morning, when the light is soft on the cacti; it is open every day from 9 am to 5:30 pm. The pitfall: relying solely on GPS, as the address is vague; it is better to call before setting off.
