Doll museum in Morocco celebrates culture, tradition

A museum in Rabat's old medina features dolls from 90 countries dressed in little traditional outfits that reflect snippets of culture, tradition and ways of life from every corner of the world.

The World Dolls museum, officially named the "Poupées Du Monde" in French, is home to roughly 2,500 dolls.

"This museum represents heritage as well as the diversity of the world," said Abdeljalil Haffar, the owner.

The dolls can tell a lot just by standing still in display cabinets through their outfit, their headdress and even what they are carrying.

The oldest doll in the collection was a gift to Haffar's wife by her grandmother when she was 5 years old. The couple later collected dolls during their travels, before their children, friends and coworkers added to their collection.

They started the museum in 2019, introducing their colorful dolls to the public.

Last week, visitors Mohammed Lahrach and his teenage son Haytham spent their day exploring the museum, a way for the child to “discover the whole world” through a very particular exhibition.

The museum offers educational activities such as drawing or crafting simple dolls.