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Culture Guide
10 Best Museums in Casablanca
Sacred mosque tours, Art Deco treasures, contemporary galleries, and film heritage: the essential cultural sites in Morocco's modern metropolis.
Casablanca Museum Tips
Must-see: Hassan II Mosque tour (world's 3rd-largest mosque)
Art Deco: Walking tour + Slaoui Museum + Sacré-Coeur
Free entry: Villa des Arts, Fondation CDG, Habous Quarter
Film fans: Rick's Café — recreation of Casablanca's fictional bar
1
Hassan II Mosque (Guided Tour)
Sacred Architecture130 MAD Boulevard Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah, oceanfront Tours: 9am, 10am, 11am, 2pm, 3pm (closed Fri morning)
The third-largest mosque in the world and one of the few in Morocco open to non-Muslims — an extraordinary building erected on a platform projecting into the Atlantic Ocean. The mosque was completed in 1993 under King Hassan II, with a 210-metre minaret (the tallest religious structure in Africa) visible from across the city. The interior is staggering: a prayer hall for 25,000 worshippers, a retractable roof that opens to the sky, carved marble from Agadir, carved cedar from the Middle Atlas, zellige tilework from Fes, and granite columns from Tafraoute. The hammam, with its steam rooms and heated marble floors, is below the prayer hall. The guided tour (about 1 hour) is one of the most impressive cultural experiences in Morocco. The esplanade, built over the ocean, accommodates 80,000. Sunset from the esplanade is spectacular.
Tip: The 9am tour is least crowded — arrive 15 minutes early to photograph the esplanade before the tour starts
2
Abderrahman Slaoui Museum
Art Deco & Decorative Arts30 MAD Rue du Parc, city centre 10am–6pm (closed Mon)
A superb private collection housed in a beautifully restored 1940s Art Deco villa — featuring three distinct collections: vintage Moroccan travel posters (vibrant French-era advertising art promoting Morocco as a destination), jewellery (Berber and Fassi traditions), and decorative arts (ceramics, glass, furniture). The travel poster collection is extraordinary: original lithographs by Majorelle (the father of the Jardin Majorelle painter), Derche, and other artists showing Morocco in the golden age of tourism. The villa — with its sweeping staircase, terrazzo floors, and period furnishings — is a museum piece itself. The collection was assembled by businessman Abderrahman Slaoui over decades. The museum is intimate, well-curated, and one of Casablanca's most enjoyable cultural experiences. The café terrace overlooks the city.
Tip: The vintage travel posters are exceptional — they make beautiful photographs and prints are available in the shop
3
Villa des Arts
Contemporary ArtFree Boulevard Brahim Roudani, near Parc de la Ligue Arabe 10am–7pm (closed Mon)
Casablanca's contemporary art gallery — housed in a restored Art Deco villa with a garden, hosting rotating exhibitions of contemporary Moroccan and international art. Part of the national Fondation ONA cultural programme. The villa is itself an example of Casablanca's Art Deco heritage: clean lines, porthole windows, and terrazzo floors. The exhibition programme includes painting, sculpture, photography, video, and installation. The garden hosts sculpture installations and summer evening events. The gallery represents Casablanca's growing contemporary art scene — less established than Marrakech's but with its own energy and ambition. Free entry makes it accessible to all. The neighbourhood (between Parc de la Ligue Arabe and the city centre) has several other Art Deco buildings worth photographing.
Tip: Free entry and rotating exhibitions — the Art Deco villa architecture is worth the visit alone
4
Art Deco Architecture Walk
Architectural HeritageFree (self-guided) Boulevard Mohammed V and surrounding streets, city centre Daylight hours
Casablanca has the densest concentration of Art Deco architecture outside Miami — a legacy of the French Protectorate era (1912–1956) when the city was rebuilt as a showcase of modernist architecture. The key buildings include the Marché Central (1917), the Cinema Rialto (1930), the Hôtel Lincoln, the Bessoneau building, the Cathédrale du Sacré-Coeur (now a cultural centre), and dozens of apartment buildings along Boulevard Mohammed V. The style blends European Art Deco with Moroccan decorative motifs: geometric zellige patterns, horseshoe arches, and arabesque ironwork. Many buildings are undergoing restoration. The self-guided walk covers about 3 km through the city centre. Casamémoire (a preservation association) publishes a walking map and occasionally offers guided tours. The architecture is best photographed in the morning.
Tip: The Casamémoire walking map is available at the tourist office — the Cathédrale du Sacré-Coeur is the centrepiece
5
Habous Quarter (New Medina)
Architectural MuseumFree Boulevard Victor Hugo, south of centre Open daily
A fascinating architectural experiment — a "medina" designed and built by French architects in the 1930s using traditional Moroccan construction methods and layout. The Habous (or Nouvelle Médina) was created to provide traditional-style housing for rural migrants arriving in Casablanca. The result is a unique neighbourhood: winding lanes, arched doorways, zellige fountains, and souks arranged in the traditional manner, but with modern sanitation, wider streets, and structural engineering. The neighbourhood includes a royal palace (Dar el-Makhzen), the Mahkama du Pacha (a stunning courthouse with carved ceilings), and specialist souks selling books, olive oil, and pastries. The pâtisserie shops are famous — the best Moroccan pastries in Casablanca. The Habous is a thoughtful synthesis of tradition and modernity.
Tip: The Mahkama du Pacha is one of Casablanca's finest buildings — ask the guards for a peek inside the courtyard
6
Musée de la Fondation CDG
Contemporary Moroccan ArtFree Place Moulay El Hassan, city centre 10am–6pm Mon-Fri
A corporate museum funded by the Caisse de Dépôt et de Gestion (Morocco's sovereign wealth fund) — hosting substantial exhibitions of contemporary Moroccan art. The museum occupies a modern space in the CDG headquarters and has a growing permanent collection of paintings, photographs, and sculptures by leading Moroccan artists. The exhibition programme is professionally curated and well-funded, with catalogues accompanying major shows. The museum represents the corporate sector's engagement with Moroccan culture — a trend that has strengthened Casablanca's art infrastructure. Free entry and professional presentation make it one of the best contemporary art experiences in the city. The museum is less known to tourists but highly regarded by Casablanca's art community.
Tip: Free entry and professional curation — one of Casablanca's best-kept cultural secrets
7
Cathédrale du Sacré-Coeur
Adaptive Reuse Architecture20 MAD Boulevard Rachidi, next to Parc de la Ligue Arabe 10am–6pm daily
A former Catholic cathedral (built 1930, designed by Paul Tournon) now converted into a cultural centre — one of Casablanca's most distinctive buildings. The architecture is neo-Gothic crossed with Art Deco: twin towers, flying buttresses, and stained glass in a modernist frame. The interior is a vast, light-filled nave now used for exhibitions, concerts, and cultural events. The conversion from church to cultural centre reflects Casablanca's secular, cosmopolitan identity. The building is architecturally significant as one of the few churches in the world designed by a major architect specifically for a Muslim-majority country. The towers are accessible and offer views across the city centre to the ocean. The adjacent Parc de la Ligue Arabe (Casablanca's central park) provides a green setting.
Tip: Climb the towers for panoramic city views — the park below and the ocean beyond make a great composition
8
Rick's Café
Film HeritageFree (dining/drinks) Boulevard Sour Jdid, old medina 12pm–3pm, 6:30pm–midnight daily
A recreation of the fictional nightclub from the 1942 film Casablanca — created by American former diplomat Kathy Kriger in a restored 1930s courtyard house. While the original film was shot entirely in Hollywood, Rick's Café faithfully recreates the atmosphere: a piano bar, Moorish arches, potted palms, and ceiling fans. The restaurant serves French-Moroccan cuisine and there's a live pianist playing the classics ("As Time Goes By," naturally). The courtyard building is a genuine Casablanca riad with carved stucco and a central fountain. The walls are hung with film memorabilia and photographs. The restaurant functions as both a dining establishment and an informal museum of the film's legacy. The bar is atmospheric for an evening drink. Reservations recommended for dinner.
Tip: Book dinner for the full atmosphere — the pianist plays "As Time Goes By" nightly around 9pm
9
Museum of Moroccan Judaism
Jewish Heritage30 MAD Rue Chasseur Jules Gros, Oasis neighbourhood 10am–5pm Mon-Fri
The only museum of Jewish culture in the Arab world — documenting the 2,000-year history of Morocco's Jewish community. The museum is housed in a former Jewish orphanage in the Oasis neighbourhood and displays religious objects (Torah scrolls, menorahs, marriage contracts), photographs, traditional clothing, and documents. The collection tells the story of Morocco's Jewish community from Roman times through the mellah (Jewish quarter) period to the 20th-century emigration. Morocco's Jewish heritage is significant — at its peak, the community numbered over 250,000. The museum preserves this heritage at a time when fewer than 3,000 Jewish Moroccans remain. The museum is a powerful statement of Morocco's pluralist identity. The staff are knowledgeable and generous with their time.
Tip: Take a taxi — the museum is in a residential neighbourhood and can be hard to find on foot
10
La Sqala (Fortress & Garden)
Historic FortressFree (dining/drinks) Boulevard des Almohades, old medina 8am–11pm daily
An 18th-century Portuguese fortress transformed into a restaurant and garden — one of Casablanca's most atmospheric spots. The fortress (built to defend the harbour) retains its original stone walls, cannons, and defensive towers. The restaurant occupies the interior courtyard, shaded by bougainvillea, jasmine, and banana trees. The garden is unexpectedly lush — a green oasis surrounded by fortress walls in the heart of the old city. The breakfast (traditional msemen, honey, and fresh orange juice) is legendary among Casablanca residents. The fortress walls display contemporary Moroccan art. The location — at the edge of the old medina, near the Hassan II Mosque — makes it a perfect start or end to a Casablanca cultural day. The atmosphere is uniquely Casablancan: relaxed, cosmopolitan, and rooted in history.
Tip: Come for breakfast — the traditional msemen with honey in the garden is one of Casablanca's great experiences
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best museums in Casablanca?
The best cultural experiences in Casablanca include the Hassan II Mosque guided tour (the only mosque in Morocco open to non-Muslims — one of the largest in the world), the Abderrahman Slaoui Museum (Art Deco posters and Moroccan decorative arts in a restored villa), the Villa des Arts (contemporary art), and the Art Deco architecture walking tour (Casablanca has the densest concentration of Art Deco buildings outside Miami). The Musée de la Fondation CDG hosts contemporary Moroccan art. The Habous quarter (also known as the New Medina) is itself an architectural museum — a 1930s French-designed medina built in traditional Moroccan style.
Can non-Muslims visit the Hassan II Mosque?
Yes — the Hassan II Mosque is one of the very few mosques in Morocco open to non-Muslim visitors, and the interior tour is one of the most impressive cultural experiences in the country. Guided tours run several times daily (usually 9am, 10am, 11am, 2pm, 3pm — check current schedule). The tour lasts about an hour and covers the vast prayer hall (capacity 25,000), the hammam, the ablution rooms, and the retractable roof. The mosque was completed in 1993 and can hold 80,000 worshippers (25,000 inside, 80,000 on the esplanade). Respectful dress is required — shoulders and knees must be covered. The ticket costs 130 MAD (about $13). Photography is permitted inside.