The Marrakech Museum of Culinary Art (also known as the Museum of Culinary Arts and in French as the Musée D’art Culinaire Marocain) is one of the city’s premier locations to discover local gastronomy. Naturally, there is no better way than tasting it firsthand, as we often suggest on this blog. However, here you can also do so while learning the secrets of Moroccan cuisine through both theory and practice. Below, we explain what you can find and do in this temple of flavor.
The Building and Its History
The Marrakech Museum of Culinary Art is situated in a privileged location: an 18th-century medina palace that was restored in 2019 for its new purpose as an interpretation center for local gastronomy. Consequently, during a guided tour of its interior, you will not only focus on the information panels and exhibits but also on the building itself. It is one of the most beautiful in the city, featuring a blend of zellige tilework, cedar wood, and plasterwork, complete with an interior courtyard and a central fountain made of Carrara marble.
Interior Tour of the Rooms
The Marrakech Museum of Culinary Art is spread across three floors, featuring various thematic rooms, each designed to explain a characteristic aspect of Moroccan gastronomy. In each room, you will find not only explanatory posters but also the specific foods or dishes, as well as the utensils required to prepare them.
For instance, there is a room dedicated to spices, featuring large sacks of these condiments in bulk and special mentions of the most important ones, such as Ras el Hanout or saffron. Other spaces include those dedicated to salads, with jars displaying the most common ingredients, or tea, which recreates a cozy tea room with its low table, pouf, metal teapot, and decorated glass tumblers.
What to Do at the Museum: Cooking Classes
As mentioned above, the Marrakech Museum of Culinary Art is not just a place to see and learn, but also a space to ‘do’—or rather, to cook. Its most iconic area is perhaps its grand kitchen, which houses a massive central island with 34 fully equipped stations (burners, sink with tap, countertop, and utensils), also fitted with screens to follow the instructor’s directions.
Classes are offered to learn how to cook some of the most representative dishes and sweets of Moroccan gastronomy, such as tagines and couscous, as well as Berber bread or gazelle horns, among many others. This space can be rented for private groups but also allows for individual participation in open groups, making it a social hub as well. Each day features a specific menu to prepare, and kosher dishes can be arranged upon request.
Restaurant, Café, Tea Room, and Shop
Naturally, the Marrakech Museum of Culinary Art also features a restaurant and café on the upper floor, serving as a rooftop from which to admire the medina skyline. It is, therefore, the perfect place to taste the high-quality dishes and ingredients explained in the museum. Where better?
Additionally, it has its own indoor tea room. The museum also features a shop where you can purchase packaged products, such as the Ras el-Hanout spice blend.
Practical Information About the Museum
Here is the practical information for visiting the Marrakech Museum of Culinary Art:
- Address: Rue Riad Zitoun el Jdid, Marrakech 40000
- Opening Hours: 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM, open every day of the week
- Price: General admission to the premises is free, but costs vary depending on the service enjoyed: guided tours, cooking classes, etc., as well as prices for consumption in each area. Please inquire for further information.
