Museum of Jordanian Heritage | Irbid

Information

Landmark: Museum of Jordanian Heritage
City: Irbid
Country: Jordan
Continent: Asia

Museum of Jordanian Heritage, Irbid, Jordan, Asia

The Museum of Jordanian Heritage (also known as the Yarmouk University Museum) is a specialized archaeological and ethnographic museum located within Yarmouk University in Irbid. Established in 1988 with support from the German government, it serves as both a public museum and a research facility for the Faculty of Archaeology and Anthropology.

Visual Characteristics

The museum is housed in a modern academic facility characterized by its integration into the university campus. The interior is designed with a series of continuous, U-shaped halls surrounding an internal courtyard. The display areas are organized chronologically, utilizing a mix of traditional glass-case exhibits and life-sized ethnographic reconstructions. The courtyard features a reconstructed rural house-complex, showcasing northern Jordanian architecture like transversal arches and cross-vaulted rooms.

Location & Access Logistics

The museum is located at the southeastern gate of the Yarmouk University campus in central Irbid, approximately 80km north of Amman. Access is restricted to pedestrians within the campus, though visitors can enter through the university gate. It is a 5-minute drive (2.5km) south of the Dar Al-Saraya Museum. Public transport is readily available via the Irbid "Service" taxis or buses from Amman’s North Bus Station.

Historical & Ecological Origin

The museum was founded to showcase the results of archaeological excavations and ethnographic research conducted by Yarmouk University faculty. Unlike general national museums, its origin is academic, aiming to provide a systematic record of human development in Jordan’s three distinct ecological zones: the Jordan Rift Valley, the highlands, and the eastern desert. The collections were largely formed through donations from local families and official university excavations.

Key Highlights & Activities

The exhibition is divided into rooms following a chronological sequence:

Prehistoric Era: Features Paleolithic flint tools and the world-renowned Neolithic lime-plaster statues from ‘Ain Ghazal.

Bronze & Iron Ages: Displays the rise of city-states, early metallurgy, and pottery from sites like Pella and Bab adh-Dhra’.

Classical Periods: Significant Roman and Byzantine mosaics, sarcophagi, and classical sculptures.

Islamic & Ethnographic Hall: Covers the Umayyad through Ottoman periods, featuring an extensive Numismatics (coin) collection and a folklore section with traditional Bedouin and peasant costumes donated by the late Widad Kawar.

Infrastructure & Amenities

The facility includes multiple climate-controlled galleries, a dedicated conservation lab, and a numismatics hall. Interpretation is primarily bilingual (Arabic and English), though some academic sections are highly technical. As a university facility, it is surrounded by campus amenities including bookstores and cafeterias. It is fully accessible and maintains a strong 4G/5G signal.

Best Time to Visit

The museum is open daily except Fridays and official holidays, typically from 09:00 to 16:00. It is best to visit on weekday mornings to see the campus in full activity, though the museum galleries remain relatively quiet compared to the rest of the university.

Facts & Legends

The museum is noted for its "Rural House" reconstruction, which was meticulously built using traditional techniques to preserve the knowledge of northern Jordanian stone masonry. A lesser-known fact is that the museum holds some of the most comprehensive records of early mining and smelting technologies in the Levant, documented from the university’s research in the Wadi Araba region.