The Berber (Amazigh) Museum is one of Agadir's cultural attractions. It is located in the centre of the coastal part of the city, in a small two-storey building on Passage Aït Souss Street between Boulevard Hassan II and Avenue Mohammed V. It houses a collection of Berber artefacts from the 18th to 19th centuries. The city beach is 50 metres from the museum.
The Berbers, who called themselves Amazigh, meaning "free men", were the original inhabitants of northern Africa. Their culture and language were influenced not only by African but also by Mediterranean influences. The history, myths and legends of the Amazigh can be traced back 9,000 years.
The inauguration of the Amazigh Heritage Museum took place in February 2000. All this thanks to the initiative of French volunteers and the city government, which is trying to preserve the Berber culture in every way possible.
The Berber Museum in Agadir consists of three halls. The first hall houses the collection, which includes locally made materials and products. Here visitors have the opportunity to see carpets, a variety of pottery: kitchen utensils, building materials and much more. The second hall is dedicated to items that showcase Berber skills and knowledge. This room displays weapons, traditional clothing, musical instruments, protective talismans, ancient manuscripts and various handicrafts collected from all over the southern part of the state. The third hall will especially appeal to lovers of craftsmanship, as it is entirely dedicated to amazing precious and semi-precious jewellery, of which there are about 200 pieces - beautiful bracelets, gorgeous brooches, amazing earrings and chains. The main decoration of the hall, which is also the symbol of the museum, is a luxurious Massa necklace.
On the ground floor of the Berber Museum, in a small gallery you can see paintings painted by local artists. They depict mostly Amazigh men and women in traditional attire.
