Morocco’s Nationwide Finery Museum reopens after large refurbish

The Bizmoun necklace is the oldest piece of jewelry on this planet.

It’s on show on the Nationwide Finery Museum in Rabat, Morocco, a constructing which has reopened its doorways after years of renovations.

The necklace, made from 32 perforated shells, was present in 2019 within the Bizmoun cave close to Essaouira.

“The oldest piece displayed right here is the Bizmoun necklace, which is the oldest jewelry on this planet, not solely in Morocco, and it dates again 150,000 years. It was found in latest excavations within the Bizmoun cave close to Essaouira. Due to it, we will begin the investigative path and be taught in regards to the growth of historic jewelry,” says Fatima Zahra Khlifi, curator, Nationwide Finery Museum.

The museum has inventive, cultural, and in addition historic worth.

Earlier than internet hosting exhibitions, it was a princely residence within the seventeenth century.

The constructing has been a museum since 1915, and it was referred to as Oudaya museum till 2006.

The renovation works began in early 2020 and resulted in late 2022.

Now referred to as Nationwide Finery Museum, the constructing was inaugurated in early January.

After it opened, Morocco’s King Mohammed VI gifted 350 objects from his assortment to the museum.

“The aim of the restoration and rehabilitation of the constructing was to fulfill all the suitable requirements for the approval of the museum shows and obtain provides, each on the nationwide and worldwide ranges, whereas respecting the traits of the constructing. Then, there have been workshops by which the choice, stock and upkeep of the contents came about with a purpose to enrich these exhibitions, with out forgetting King Mohamed VI’s reward that he made obtainable to us,” says Zahra Khlifi.

In complete, 8,000 objects are on show within the museum, from jewelry to costumes, luggage, belts and footwear.

“The museum accommodates totally different and numerous jewelry in its world idea, and it doesn’t solely embrace jewelry that was used for adornment, however there’s additionally clothes, males’s jewelry, in a different exhibition divided into 5 elements by which we will be taught in regards to the historical past of jewelry, the instruments of jewellery-making and their growth, the historical past of Moroccan costumes and crucial places the place they have been made, in addition to males’s and ladies’s city and rural jewelry and their regional traits,” says Zahra Khlifi.

Since its reopening, the museum has welcomed greater than 11,000 each day guests.

“I see that the place is actually representing Moroccan artwork, particularly metallurgy and Caftan. It’s a pleasant place and fascinating place to go to for individuals who need to know in regards to the Moroccan heritage,” says Hassan Belfakir, customer.

Rabat residents are additionally pleased with this place and have observed the facelift.

“This museum has made a terrific addition to town of Rabat and has modified lots,” says Abdelfattah El Aoufir, customer.

In line with Mohamed Es-Semmar, historian, the Nationwide Finery museum will play its half in preserving the Moroccan cultural heritage.

“We can not perceive the tangible heritage with out including to it the intangible heritage that’s displayed in museums, and the added worth that museums present is that it enhances what the Moroccan individuals typically do and Rabat particularly, or instance, on the subject of town’s museums,” he says.

“It additionally provides the vacationer who’s inquisitive about cultural tourism a common thought of the each day lifetime of these previous centuries.”