The Farid Belkahia Foundation (Fondation Farid Belkahia) occupies the house and studio of Farid Belkahia (1934-2014), in the northern Palmeraie of Marrakech. Born in Marrakech, he is a major figure of modern Moroccan art. Trained at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and then in Prague, he ran the Casablanca School of Fine Arts from the 1960s, before settling in the Palmeraie, where he worked until his death. The foundation was created on 28 March 2015 and its museum, the Mathaf Farid Belkahia, opened in February 2016; it is chaired by his widow, the writer Rajae Benchemsi. You can see a permanent selection of his work, from early paintings to large skins dyed with henna and works on copper, as well as temporary exhibitions given over to other artists. It is an intimate visit, by reservation only, about twenty minutes from the centre by taxi.
Highlights
The Palmeraie around the foundation
The house stands in the Dar Tounsi area, in the north of the Palmeraie, far from the bustle of the medina. The drive takes you past palm trees, ochre earth walls and the plots where the camels used for rides wait.
The works on skin
From the 1970s, Belkahia painted on stretched skins with natural pigments such as henna and pomegranate bark, drawing on the signs of Moroccan heritage: circles, arrows, crosses, hands. The permanent collection includes "Procession" (1980), "Partance" (1987) and "La dignité de l'homme" (1994), a large skin almost three metres wide.
The copper works
From the 1960s, the artist worked with copper, a material of Moroccan craftsmanship. The foundation holds pieces such as "Aube" (1983), alongside earlier paintings on paper and wood, including a "Couple" from 1952.
The carte blanche exhibitions
The foundation regularly invites artists to show in the museum: Mohamed El Baz in 2018, Hassan Hajjaj in 2019, Aasmaa Akhanouch in 2021-2022, then the painter Mohamed Mourabiti in winter 2025. The foundation's website announces no more recent exhibition: ask what is on show when you book.
Combine with the Palmeraie
The Palmeraie Museum (Benchaâbane Foundation), which also shows works by Belkahia, is about a kilometre away, on the Fès road. Both visits and a walk in the Palmeraie fit into half a day.
Infos pratiques
Tips
Visits are by reservation: fill in the form on the "Réservation" page of the foundation's website and a confirmation will be sent by email; you can also call +212 5 24 32 89 59. The official website shows no admission price and the amounts published by tourist websites do not match: ask for the price when you book. Agree with your taxi driver on waiting time or a return pick-up, as taxis are scarce in the Palmeraie.
How to get there
Address: Dar Tounsi, Palmeraie Nord, Marrakech (BP 649), Fès road By petit taxi from the medina or Gueliz: about twenty minutes depending on traffic; the foundation is about 5 km as the crow flies north-east of Jemaa el-Fna square By car: leave the city on the Fès road (N8), towards the Dar Tounsi area
Opening hours
Nearby
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