Villa des Arts
A restored Art Deco villa turned gallery at the heart of Casablanca's contemporary art scene.
Villa des Arts is one of Morocco's most respected contemporary art spaces, housed in a beautifully restored 1930s Art Deco villa in the Gauthier district of Casablanca. Managed by the Fondation ONA (now part of the Al Mada Foundation), it opened as a cultural center in 1999 and has since become a key institution for showcasing Moroccan and international modern art — a rare dedicated gallery space in a city not always celebrated for its cultural infrastructure.
Visiting Villa des Arts means moving through a series of elegant, light-filled rooms across two floors, where rotating exhibitions feature painting, sculpture, photography, and mixed media from established and emerging artists. The building itself is part of the experience — the sweeping staircase, tiled floors, and period architectural details give the whole place a refined, almost residential feel, as if art has simply moved into someone's very stylish home. There's also a small garden that adds a quiet, contemplative dimension to the visit.
The gallery is free to enter, which makes it an easy and rewarding addition to any Casablanca itinerary — and one that most visitors overlook entirely in favour of Hassan II Mosque. Shows rotate regularly, so checking what's on before you visit is worth doing. Tuesday through Sunday, 9am to 7pm, with Monday closures. The Gauthier neighbourhood around it is pleasant for a walk, with some good cafés nearby for a post-gallery coffee.