Aqaba Archaeological Museum | Aqaba

The Aqaba Archaeological Museum is the primary institution for the preservation of antiquities in the Aqaba district, housed in the former residence of Sharif Hussein bin Ali. It is situated on the waterfront of the Old City, adjacent to the Aqaba Fort and the Great Arab Revolt Plaza.

Visual Characteristics

The museum is housed in a single-story stone building designed in the traditional Hijazi architectural style, characterized by white-washed exterior walls and a series of arched windows. The interior consists of a sequence of vaulted galleries organized around a central corridor. Displays are contained within glass vitrines and feature bilingual Arabic and English explanatory panels.

Location & Access Logistics

The facility is located on King Hussein Street, approximately 1.5km south of the downtown commercial center. It is positioned directly behind the Great Arab Revolt Plaza and is 100 meters from the shoreline. Pedestrians can reach the site via the beach promenade; vehicle parking is available in the large public lot serving the adjacent plaza. The site is a standard stop for the Aqaba tourist shuttle and is serviced by local taxis.

Historical & Ecological Origin

The building was constructed in 1917 as a palace for Sharif Hussein bin Ali, the leader of the Great Arab Revolt and founder of the Hashemite dynasty. It was repurposed as a museum in 1989 and officially opened to the public in 1990 to house artifacts excavated from local sites, including the early Islamic city of Ayla and the Chalcolithic site of Tall Hujayrat al-Ghuzlan.

Key Highlights & Activities

Visitors can view a 9th-century Kufic inscription of a Quranic verse (Ayat al-Kursi) originally situated above the eastern gate of Ayla. The collection includes golden dinars from the Fatimid period, ceramic vessels from Iraq and Egypt, and 4,000 BC copper-working tools. The museum allows for a self-guided walkthrough of the diverse eras of Aqaba’s habitation, from the 4th millennium BC to the 12th century AD.

Infrastructure & Amenities

The museum provides public restrooms and 4G/5G cellular coverage. While the interior is sheltered from direct sunlight, it is not fully climate-controlled. There are no food or beverage vendors inside the museum building, but the surrounding plaza contains numerous cafes, restaurants, and public seating areas. Admission is included for holders of the Jordan Pass.

Best Time to Visit

The museum is best visited during the morning hours (08:00 AM – 11:00 AM) to avoid the midday heat, as the building lacks modern air conditioning in all sections. Photography is permitted inside without flash; the exterior stone walls and the adjacent flagpole are best captured in the late afternoon when the light levels enhance the white Hijazi architecture.

Facts & Legends

The museum building was the actual residence where Sharif Hussein bin Ali lived before his exile to Cyprus in 1925. A notable "secret" among local historians is the presence of a "Lady of Aqaba" artifact, a rare Chalcolithic figurine discovered at Tall Hujayrat al-Ghuzlan that indicates the city was a major center for copper production and religious ritual over 6,000 years ago.

Nearby Landmarks

Aqaba Fort – 0.05km South

Great Arab Revolt Plaza – 0.1km South

Aqaba Flagpole – 0.15km Southwest

Early Islamic City of Ayla – 1.0km Northwest

Sharif Hussein bin Ali Mosque – 1.1km North