The American Legation Museum in Tangier is a museum, research and cultural center in the city’s medina. Set in a building given to the United States in 1821, it connects Tangier’s history with collections on diplomacy, photography and music.
Its location also makes it a natural stop while walking through the old quarter. The museum is about an 11-minute drive or a 42-minute walk from an aparthotel in Tangier.
- Location: 8 Rue d’Amérique, Tangier
- Opening pattern: Open daily
- Entry: 20 dirhams for residents and 50 dirhams for non-residents
- Research library: More than 10,000 works across five languages
What the American Legation is
The Tangier American Legation is the only U.S. National Historic Landmark outside the United States. Morocco’s sultan gave the building to the United States in 1821, and it served as a U.S. diplomatic mission for more than 140 years.
The compound was enlarged during 1927–1931 and combines Moorish and Spanish architectural traditions. Today, its role extends beyond the building’s diplomatic past: it is also a museum and a research and cultural center. The Legation’s history resources include an illustrated timeline, which can help you place the site’s long history in context.
Collections and historic rooms
The Legation’s collections span Tangier’s visual and musical history as well as its diplomatic record. One resource is the International Tangier Glass Negatives Collection, a rare black-and-white photographic record of the city around the turn of the 20th century.
Music is another strand of the archive. The Paul Bowles Moroccan music collection of the American Folklife Center covers recordings from 1957–1989. For research into the work of the consulate, the library holds American consular correspondence with the Department of State, covering 1797–1906, on microfilm.
The TALIM Research Library holds more than 10,000 works in English, French, Spanish, Arabic and Portuguese. Its collection also includes more than 100 antique Mediterranean maps and Tangier Gazette newspapers covering 1884–1906. Interested visitors can arrange to use the library by appointment; it is a separate research resource from the museum visit.
Finding the museum in the medina
The museum’s address is 8 Rue d’Amérique, Tangier. If you’re exploring on foot, pair the visit with a walk through the medina and Kasbah; the route brings together the old quarter’s streets and the Legation’s historic setting. A walking guide to Tangier’s medina and Kasbah can help you plan that wider walk.
For the address and current visitor details, check the official site before you go.
Opening hours, tickets and visitor access
Entry is 20 dirhams for residents and 50 dirhams for non-residents. Since hours and prices can change, confirm them before setting out.
Opening hours
- Monday to Friday: 10:00–17:00
- Saturday and Sunday: 10:00–15:00
Last checked November 2026. Hours can change on holidays and for special events.
You can contact the curator at curator@legation.org to schedule a guided tour. The official website also offers a virtual tour if you want to preview the site remotely.
Nearby sights to pair with a visit
The Legation fits naturally into a day focused on central Tangier and the medina. Grand Socco and the medina souks make a complementary stop; a guide to Grand Socco and Tangier’s medina souks can help you connect the area’s landmarks and market streets.
For a second museum visit, the Musée des cultures méditerranéennes is about a 16-minute drive from Appart Hotel Alia. You could make the Legation the anchor of a medina walk, then plan the other museum as a separate stop.
FAQs
What is the American Legation Museum known for?
It is a museum, research and cultural center, and the only U.S. National Historic Landmark outside the United States. Its resources include historic photography, Moroccan music and diplomatic records.
Do you need an appointment to visit the research library?
Yes. The TALIM Research Library is open to interested visitors by appointment.
Can you arrange a guided tour?
Yes. Contact the curator at curator@legation.org to schedule one.
What is the museum’s address?
It is at 8 Rue d’Amérique, Tangier.