Moroccan Carpet & Weaving Museum in Dar Si Said
Dar Si Said Moroccan Carpet & Carpets Museum replaces the former Dar Si Sad Museum. It just had a significant makeover and was given the name of its former owner and designer.
On June 28, 2018, it opened its doors to host the national exhibition of Moroccan Weaving and Carpets. It is now run by the National Foundation of Moroccan Museums.
History of Dar Si Saïd Marrakech:
The Dar Si Said Marrakech Palace, a palace from the second half of the 19th century, was constructed on Said Ben Moussa, the Minister of War’s, instructions. Said Ben Moussa was the brother of Ahmed Ben Moussa, also known as Ba Hmad, who served as Chamberlain for Sultan Moulay Hassan I before becoming Grand Vizier and regent of the Sultan of the Kingdom of Morocco under Sultan Moulay Abdel Aziz (1984 to 1908).
The Bahia Palace, which is close to Dar Si Said, was constructed by Ba Hmad.
In Arabic, “Dar” means “House,” while “Si” is the diminutive form of Sidi, which means “Sir.”
Therefore, Dar Si Said might be interpreted as “Mr. Said’s home.”
The National Museum of Moroccan Carpets and Weavings is now housed in the Dar Si Said Palace in the Medina of Marrakech after a number of missions.
Formerly known as the Museum of Indigenous Arts, the Dar Si Said Marrakech Museum of Moroccan Weaving and Carpets :
The Dar Si Said Palace received the regional rulers of Marrakech during the French protectorate.
It was replaced in 1932 by the General Directorate of Public Education of Fine Arts and Antiquities, which also featured a museum of Indigenous and Ancient Arts and demonstrations by craftspeople.
Marechal Lyautey, a general living in the French protectorate, was indeed interested in promoting and safeguarding Moroccan arts and crafts.
Prosper Ricard was hired by him first as an inspector and afterward as a curator of indigenous artworks.
The Muslim Art Museums in Marrakech, Meknes, and Fez were founded by the latter. Under his leadership, the output of carpets surged tenfold.
As a collector himself, he published a book on Moroccan rug typology and created the “artisanal label,” which attests to the handmade nature of carpets.
In 2018, Dar Si Said will become the National Carpet Museum :
Following extensive renovations, the Dar Si Said Marrakech Moroccan Weaving and Carpets Museum reopened its doors on June 28, 2018.
The Museum is under the direction of the FNM, or National Foundation of Moroccan Museums. With 400 carpets on exhibit and a new designation as the Carpet and Weaving National Museum, Dar Si Said now provides an ideal setting for promoting the rich heritage of the Moroccan and Berber carpet and weaving collections. The space presently reserved for the vintage Moroccan and Berber carpets brings back all the splendor of this 2,000-year-old craft.
The Moroccan Carpet and Weaving Museum at the Dar Si Said Marrakech Collection:
Haouz Marrakech, the High Atlas, the Middle Atlas, and the Oriental areas of Morocco are all represented in the museum, along with a temporary display of modern rugs from Chabia or Belkahia.
Dar Si Said The Moroccan Carpet Museum in Marrakech has divided the country’s carpet collection into two categories: the urban carpet from Rabat and Casablanca, which has a lavish floral design, and the rural carpet from the High Atlas, Marrakech, or Eastern Morocco.
