The best museums Amman

The forum and theater marked the epicenter of commercial and cultural life in the days of the Roman Empire. In Philadelphia, at one time considered the capital of the Roman province of Arabia, the theater backed onto Jebel el-Taj and was preceded by a huge square that served as the main meeting point and market place. On its eastern side, a smaller theater, the Odeon, closed the square. Today, the Roman theater houses two museums: the Museum of Popular Traditions and the Museum of Folklore.

The Forum. Access to the Roman amphitheatre complex is via the ancient forum. This huge, open square, now lined with trees, was one of the largest in the Roman Empire. It measures 100 x 50 meters. It was enclosed to the north by the Great Theater and the Taj Hill, and to the east by the small Odeon Theater. It was also lined with colonnades for merchants, of which today only a single row remains in front of the main theater. Major thoroughfares led to the Forum, in particular the cardo maximus, the main north-south road found in every Roman decapolis. The city's population used to gather here. In fact, it's still a lively place where the inhabitants of the lower town gather, especially on summer evenings. They enjoy the terraces, where Egyptian soccer matches are shown, or simply sit and chat on the steps leading down to the esplanade. You'll notice a ticket office on the right as you enter the site. This is where you pay the ticket price for the Roman Theatre or present your Jordan Pass.

Roman Theatre. Your steps will lead you directly to the imposing Roman Theatre, set against the jebel El-Taj. From the top of its tiers, you can look back on 20 centuries of history. Its construction dates back to the reign of Antoninus Pius (138-161), reputed to be one of the most peaceful rulers the Roman Empire had ever known. The theater could accommodate up to 6,000 spectators. Carved out of the mountain, it met the standards of Roman theaters of the time. From the beginning of the modern era, the Romans finalized their theatrical construction methods, moving in particular to permanent stone construction. Unlike ancient Greek theaters, Roman theaters were enclosed by a stage wall that rose to the height of the tiers. The semicircular shape of the tiers, known as cavea, was preserved for acoustic and visual reasons. The spectator sees and hears everything, whether seated in the front or back row. The cavea of the Amman theater is divided into three levels. The lower level(prima cavea) was reserved for rulers and patricians. The middle tier(media cavea) was occupied by members of the army, while the civilian population occupied the last ranks(summa cavea). You'll notice a niche at the very top of the terraces. It housed a statue of the goddess Athena, now in the Royal Jordan Museum. Each floor is delimited by a praecinctio, a passageway that allowed people to move around. The slope of the tiers was particularly well thought-out, generally inclined at 30°. In particular, it was designed to allow sound to travel upwards without reverberating, and to allow people to sit down without being disturbed by the person in front. The pit, or orchestra, is surrounded by bleachers and faces the raised stage. Actors came to stand in the niches(pulpitum) at the foot of the stage during long tirades or for certain dialogues. The columns along the stage served as a street backdrop, while the stage wall represented a palace and was used as a backdrop for interior scenes. Access to the interior is via a passageway leading off either end of the orchestra. For years, the theater was the site of a vast excavation project. Now restored, it is sometimes the setting for traditional dance and music performances in summer (ask at the tourist office).

The Folklore Museum. On the left as you enter the theater. It features a collection of objects typical of the country: musical instruments, weapons, a large Bedouin goat-hair tent with two compartments (men on one side, women on the other), teapots, carpets, weaving looms, beautiful gold and coral jewelry from the Red Sea... Don't miss the black-and-white photos of Amman at the entrance to the museum.

The Museum of Popular Traditions. Located on the right as you enter the theater, it's not very different from the Folklore Museum. The small museum displays Bedouin objects (traditional dress, jewelry, etc.), marquetry, evidence of the rich local crafts (carpets, saddles, etc.) and traditional Palestinian dress. The collection is completed by Byzantine mosaics and pottery from excavations in Madaba and Jerash.

The Odeon. Far less impressive than the Roman theater, it's still worth a stop. Built in the ^2nd century, it was mainly used for musical performances and political meetings, for up to 600 people.

Opened in 2005 to promote Jordan's architectural and historical heritage, the Jordan Museum traces the country's history back to ancient times thanks to the many discoveries made by archaeologists since the late 19th century. The museum consists of three main galleries (History and Archaeology, Traditional Lifestyles, and Jordan Today), displaying some 2,000 artifacts presented both historically and thematically. The collection is quite rich and gives a broad idea of the evolution of this region inhabited for at least 500,000 years. It contains some priceless treasures, such as the two-headed statue of Ain Ghazal, a 10,000-year-old anthropomorphic statue, or fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Two-headed statue of Ain Ghazal. This statue is part of a series of 15 statuettes found at the site of Ain Ghazal, now part of the suburb of Amman. It is made of baked plaster on a reed structure. This technique demonstrates the advancement of this Neolithic civilization, as a temperature of at least 900 °C was required to bake the statues.

The Dead Sea Scrolls. Part of the manuscripts discovered at Qumran (Palestine) between 1947 and 1956 are stored here. The very ancient texts, written mostly on parchment or papyrus, refer to the Old Testament. The Jordan Museum has the only manuscript written on copper leaf

The visit of this small museum is necessary for all those who are passionate about the history of Jordan and who are preparing to visit the treasures (Four, Petra, Pella…) or for the herbe archaeologists. It gathers a large collection of remains throughout Jordan, from its Neolithic period, through its consecutive principalities periods, as well as all kinds of objects, discovered on the country's main historic sites. The collections are displayed chronologically and explanations are posted in English.

Fans of beautiful bodies will be served. This museum was opened in 2003 by King Abdullah II, in memory of his father, a motor vehicle enthusiast. The collection presents more than 80 vehicles that belonged to King Hussein. From rally cars to Bentley's armoured limousines, including sports cars, military vehicles, family sedans, motorcycles for desert sand tracks and even bicycles... the collection displays a part of the automotive history from the post-war period to the present day. Small video installations punctuate the tour, showing King Hussein in action in his cars. It seems that the passion has been passed on from father to son, as King Abdullah II's cars have now been added to the collection. It also seems that the royal family had an unlimited interest in the German manufacturer Mercedes, which is widely represented here. In addition to this small retrospective of the German firm, we find prestigious brands that have made history in the automobile such as Aston Martin, Rolls Royace, Bentley, Lincoln, Cadillac... The oldest car dates back to 1916 and was imported by Hussein bin Ali, the grandfather of King Hussein, hero of the Great Arab Revolt. The museum has a replica of the first motorcycle ever invented in 1886. The vehicles are perfectly maintained and all are said to be roadworthy.

It is perhaps no coincidence that the Martyrs' Memorial, commissioned by King Hussein in 1977, was set up in the huge park that includes the national stadium, the Olympic swimming pool and many other sports facilities. The youth must not forget their ancestors who fought for Jordan's independence and the fate of the Arab world. A museum and memorial, the large golden stone cube typical of Amman houses a permanent exhibition that traces the country's military history from the Great Revolt of 1916 to the present day.

Built by King Abdullah II in memory of his father. It presents a collection of over 70 cars and motorcycles that belonged to King Hussein.

Surrounded by the rare towers of Amman, the Haya Cultural Centre is designed for children. The eco-museum, the planetarium, the indoor and outdoor playground have been designed to awaken children to culture and science. Numerous workshops are organised around themes such as music, singing, theatre, drawing... The center is rather intended for people living in Amman, but nothing prevents you from coming there if you travel with young children and are looking for a safe park to let them loose.