A precious museum that preserves works of high historical, archaeological and artistic value
A space of knowledge and beauty hidden among the houses of the old Ottoman village The museum is housed in a low building from the late 19th century which, as an inscription above the gate still reminds us, belonged to the Al-Rousan family, who lived there for 127 years. The house was part of an Ottoman-era village and was also where the family hosted a school for refugees from northern Palestine in 1948.
In 1988, the Department of Antiquities, thanks to a project done in cooperation with the German Protestant Institute of Archaeology, restored the house and its beautiful courtyard and built a museum there, in order to preserve and exhibit heritage from the archaeological site of Umm Qais: the ancient Gadara.
The work was completed in 2019. The rooms of the museum tell the history of the site and its surroundings, from the Bronze Age to the Islamic period. The elegant courtyard houses rich capitals, stone sarcophagi, mosaics, inscriptions and basalt doors. The courtyard also houses a colossal statue of Tyche enthroned, discovered in the 1960s, which dates from the second quarter of the 2nd century CE and decorated the orchestra of the western theatre.
The atmosphere is both intimate and pleasant: suitable for a visit of high cultural value. Educational panels inside the museum guide the visitor to an understanding of the objects on display.
The halls contain many fragmentary works, including a small statue of Zeus Nikephoros, possibly from the Alexandrian period in the early 3rd century CE. The statue is made of crystalline marble and is about 50 cm high.
The second floor of the museum, added at a more recent stage, consists of balconies that open up to a 360° panorama of the surrounding valleys.
Quick overview
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Opening days
Open daily
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Opening times
Summer:
From 8:00 am till 4:30 pm
April - May:
From 8:00 am till 5:30
November - April:
From 8:00 am till 4:00 pm
Ramadan:
From 8:00 am till 3:30 pm -
How to reach
By car:
From Irbid take Ateyat Bani Hani St. and then follow the signs for Umm Qais. The total distance is approximately 26 km. From Amman it’s about 120 km
By walk:
From the centre of the modern town, walk up towards the archaeological site following the signs and walking for about one km -
Reservation & Price
No reservation needed
Services
- Cafés and food Courts
- Parking
- Pic-nic area Available in English, Arabic
Additional Info
Entrance fee*:
- 5 dinars (non-Jordanian visitors)
- 0.25 dinars (Jordanian visitors)
*The cost of the ticket also includes a visit to the Archeological Site
Suggested periods
- Autumn
- Spring
- Summer
- Winter
Visiting Rules
Basic rules:
All visitors are invited to observe the basic rules of respect for the preservation of nature. The natural heritage is protected under Jordanian and international laws
Covid 19 rules:
Visitors are requested to wear a mask in enclosed or heavily crowded areas and to maintain the safety distance indicated by the regulations in force