The Museum of the African Continent expected to open by late 2027, says Mehdi Qotbi

The construction of the Museum of the African Continent is progressing at a steady pace as Morocco seeks to position itself as a major cultural hub in Africa, Mehdi Qotbi, president of the National Museums Foundation, told us. The imminent completion of the works will be followed by the launch of tenders for the interior fit-out. According to Mehdi Qotbi, this transformative project will reshape Rabat’s cultural landscape and strengthen its continental reach.

A project ahead of its initial schedule

After nearly two years of work, the project is entering a strategic phase. According to the president of the National Museums Foundation (NMF), the structural works have already reached an 85% completion rate. The next step will involve the interior fit-out.

"Tenders will soon be launched to install exhibition spaces, technical equipment and immersive installations," he says, adding that the museum is expected to open to the public in the last quarter of 2027, slightly ahead of the initial 2028 timeline.

A transformative project at the heart of Rabat

While recalling that the project is located in the former headquarters of the Royal Navy, in the heart of Rabat, Mehdi Qotbi emphasizes its symbolic location opposite the Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, which will make it possible to create a museum complex unprecedented not only in Morocco but also in Africa.

Designed by architect Adrien Laforgue, this 1920s building is undergoing an ambitious transformation aimed at preserving its external heritage identity while rethinking its interior spaces through a balanced approach between conservation and modernity.

With a total budget of 342 million dirhams and a surface area of more than 13,000 m², complemented by an underground gallery, the museum will, according to him, form the core of a genuine African cultural hub.

Immersive museology serving Africa

Beyond the architectural concept of the future building, Mehdi Qotbi believes that this project represents a new way of telling Africa’s story, through a museum journey designed as an immersive experience highlighting the continent’s cultural exchanges, identities and imaginaries.

As for its content, the president explains that the themes will range from African ecologies to diasporas, including the memory of slavery, migrations and visions of the future.

In this regard, the inaugural exhibition will offer a plural and contemporary reading of Africa, combining archives, interactive installations and artistic creations.

Collections already in place

Another major strength of the project lies in the fact that the NMF already holds a large share of the works to be exhibited. According to its president, this will allow the institution to plan its programming with confidence and ensure a rich and coherent opening.

Aligned with modernity and international standards, the future museum will also include several spaces dedicated to temporary exhibitions, an artist residency for emerging talents, a training center, as well as a major secure conservation facility, reinforcing its role as a cultural and scientific platform.

A future cultural hub with continental reach

Conceived as an open and vibrant space, this museum complex will not be limited to exhibition areas and will also include gardens, cafés and meeting spaces to foster interaction with the public.

Moreover, its direct connection via an underground gallery to the Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art will, according to Mehdi Qotbi, strengthen the coherence of the cultural hub in central Rabat and, above all, establish the capital as a key reference point for contemporary African culture.

He concludes that, with construction well advanced, the Museum of the African Continent, now entering its final stretch, is set to become one of Morocco’s most significant cultural projects.