An Art Lover’s Guide to the Best Galleries and Museums in Morocco
Over the past 10 years, Morocco’s art scene has drawn increasing international attention—thanks in part to the Marrakech edition of 1-54—yet many collectors are only just beginning to appreciate the depth and distinctiveness of its cultural production. Though long associated with tourism and Hollywood location shoots, the North African nation has a rich and underrepresented history of artmaking shaped by centuries of diverse cultural exchange. For collectors, Morocco offers not only access to an increasingly globalized ecosystem of galleries, museums and residencies, but also the opportunity to invest in a scene rooted in heritage and alive with contemporary urgency.
Situated at the crossroads of Africa, Europe and the Middle East, it has absorbed and transformed a range of aesthetic influences into something entirely its own. Traditional forms such as rug and carpet weaving, metalwork, Zellige mosaics and calligraphy—rooted in Islamic, Arab and Berber practices—set the foundation. These traditions were later reshaped by the pressures and visual codes of colonial rule from 1912 to 1956, when Morocco was a French and Spanish protectorate.
Following independence, a pivotal generation of artists and educators—among them Mohamed Melehi, Farid Belkahia, Mohamed Chabâa, Malika Agueznay and Toni Maraini—formed the Casablanca Art School movement. Their work reframed Moroccan identity through a postcolonial lens, blending modernist abstraction with indigenous motifs and reclaiming crafts long marginalized under colonial rule. These artists laid the intellectual and visual groundwork for what would become a resilient, self-defining contemporary art scene.
By the 1990s, a new generation was building on this legacy, merging global techniques with local materials, histories and themes. Today’s Moroccan artists—working in painting, photography, craft, installation and beyond—continue to engage political and cultural questions with clarity and intent.
The best galleries and museums in Morocco
Loft Art Gallery
- 13 Rue El Kaissi, Casablanca 20250
In 2024, Loft Art Gallery debuted at Untitled Art Miami Beach and Art Basel Paris—marking the first appearance of a Moroccan gallery at either fair—and signaling a broader effort to position Moroccan art on the world stage. Founded by sisters Myriem and Yasmine Berrada Sounmi, the gallery regularly participates in global art fairs like Paris Photo, Art Dubai and the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair in London, New York and Marrakech. It will be the only Moroccan gallery participating in the inaugural edition of Art Basel Qatar in early February.
Established in 2009 in Casablanca’s prestigious Golden Triangle neighborhood, Loft Art Gallery initially focused on Moroccan artists, including those affiliated with the Casablanca Art School movement. Since then, it has expanded to include artists from across Africa and its diaspora, and in 2024, it opened a second permanent space in Marrakech. Through these spaces, the gallery showcases photography, textiles and painting, actively contributing to the vitality of the Moroccan art scene. Its artists are regularly featured in museum exhibitions and will represent the country in Morocco’s first official national pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale.
MCC Gallery
- 281 Rue Principale, Marrakech 40000
In 2018, collector Fatima-Zohra Bennani Bennis founded Dar El Bacha Gallery in Marrakech’s Medina, said to be the first Moroccan gallery dedicated solely to photography with a focus on Moroccan subjects.
By 2020, the gallery had evolved into MCC Gallery and relocated to a 600-square-meter space in Sidi Ghanem, Marrakech’s creative district. It now exhibits work by both emerging and established Moroccan and international artists across painting, video and sculpture. MCC describes its programming as “bold and rigorous,” with a strong commitment to helping artists produce work that engages with social and contemporary issues.
The gallery also participates in international fairs,including the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair in London and Also Known As Africa in Paris, offering global audiences exposure to the local artists it represents. A key player in Morocco’s current art landscape, MCC has planned multiple solo exhibitions at its gallery and will host a group exhibition at this upcoming edition of 1-54 Marrakech.
La Maison de la Photographie de Marrakech
- Rue Ahl Fes, 46 Rue Bin Lafnadek, Marrakech 40030
Founded by Hamid Mergani and Patrick Manac’h, La Maison de la Photographie de Marrakech is a vital archive of Morocco’s visual history. Its collection includes works like Draped Women, Casablanca, believed to have been taken in 1930 by photographer Marcelin Flandrin (1889-1957), who settled in Morocco in the early 1920s. Housed in a traditional riad in the Medina and opened in 2009, the museum holds images taken between 1860 and 1960, capturing daily life, architecture, landscapes and people before and after Morocco’s colonial period.
The collection is said to include 10,000 items, from photographs and glass plates to postcards, newspapers, maps and documentaries. In addition to hosting exhibitions in its permanent space, the museum organizes traveling shows in schools in partnership with cultural institutions. From its rooftop terrace, visitors can enjoy views of the Atlas Mountains.
La Galerie 38
- 38, Boulevard Abdelhadi Boutaleb, Rte d’Azemmour, Casablanca 20000 / 64 rue Tarik Ibn Ziad, Marrakech 40000
In December 2023, La Galerie 38 celebrated its 15th anniversary in Casablanca with a group show featuring 20 artists, including Malian icon Abdoulaye Konaté, Cote d’Ivoire’s Jems Koko Bi and Moroccan modernist pioneer Mohamed Hamidi, a founding member of the Casablanca Art School.
Founded by Fihr Kettani and Mohammed Chaoui El Faiz, the gallery has become a major presence in the Moroccan and pan-African art world. Located in the Studio des Arts Vivants, which also houses the Ecole des Arts du Spectacle and a professional theater, the gallery’s first space supports a wide range of creative programming.
In 2023, La Galerie 38 opened a second space in Marrakech and a third in Geneva two years later. It regularly participates in fairs such as 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair in London, Also Known As Africa in Paris, Art Genève and Abu Dhabi Art (now Frieze Abu Dhabi), helping to connect local and global art markets.
Musée d’Art Contemporain Africain Al Maaden (MACAAL)
- Al Maaden, Sidi Youssef Ben Ali Marrakech 40000
Roughly 40 years ago, Moroccan real estate mogul Alami Lazraq began collecting art, initially focusing on Moroccan pioneers. With the involvement of his son, Othman Lazraq, the collection expanded to include work by artists from across Africa and the world.
In 2016, the Musée d’Art Contemporain Africain Al Maaden (MACAAL) opened in Marrakech, with Othman Lazraq serving as its president. The museum houses part of the family’s collection—more than 2,000 works by over 300 artists, including Farid Belkahia, Ahmed Cherkaoui, Jilali Gharbaoui, Mohamed Melehi, Joël Andrianomearisoa, Abdoulaye Konaté, Serge Attukwei Clottey and Billie Zangewa. The museum is dedicated to making art accessible to all and promoting cultural development across Africa.
Its permanent exhibition, “Seven Contours, One Collection,” features over 150 rotating works spanning painting, textiles, sculpture and installation, with a thematic focus on decolonization and contemporary African identities. Reopened in February 2025 after a redesign, MACAAL now includes gallery spaces, a café, a library, gardens and outdoor sculptures. One recent exhibition, “Paraboles – A Hertzian Odyssey,” showcased the work of Moroccan artist Hiba Baddou.
Musée Yves Saint Laurent Marrakech
- Rue Yves St Laurent, Marrakech 40000
In 1966, fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent visited Marrakech for the first time. He reportedly fell in love with Morocco, returning twice a year and eventually purchasing property, including the famed Jardin Majorelle, with his partner.
In 2017, the Musée Yves Saint Laurent Marrakech opened in a building constructed from terrazzo, concrete and earthen-toned terracotta bricks. The museum features a permanent exhibition space, bookshop, auditorium, restaurant, terrace café and library. On display are Laurent’s haute couture garments, accessories and sketches, alongside temporary exhibitions on art, fashion and design. The museum also includes conservation infrastructure to preserve its holdings in optimal conditions.