Bab El Kebir Art Gallery – Oudayas

## A gallery at the entrance to the Oudayas Bab El Kébir Gallery is an art exhibition space within the historic monumental gateway of Rabat’s Kasbah of the Oudayas. It hosts temporary presentations of painting, calligraphy, photography and contemporary artistic work, often in cooperation with cultural organisations and the Ministry of Culture. The name refers to the specific exhibition venue rather than the whole Oudayas neighbourhood or the wider historic kasbah. ## The exhibition rooms Works are installed within interior spaces associated with the Almohad gate. Its vaulted rooms and architectural surfaces provide a setting for changing exhibitions, whose scale and display arrangements depend on the participating artists. The gallery has been used for traditional visual practices, contemporary painting, artists’ photography and calligraphic experimentation. Projects may take the form of individual exhibitions, group displays or programmes linked to festivals. ## Recorded exhibitions in 2026 In January, Bab El Kébir formed part of the four-site exhibition “60 Years of Painting in Morocco”. From April to May, it exhibited Hasnae Lahlou’s “La réponse à la voix”, the artist’s first painting show. In October, the gallery presented Amina Chicha’s “Quand la lettre se met à parler”, exploring Arabic lettering as a visual element, with dates through 14 October 2026. The “Summer of the Oudayas” festival also identifies the gallery as a venue for visual arts activities. ## Visiting the gallery Address: Bab El Kébir gate, Kasbah of the Oudayas, Rabat. Opening hours follow the exhibition programme. The October 2026 show was announced for Tuesday to Saturday, 10 am–6 pm. Verify any later change before visiting. Related institutions include [Bab Rouah National Gallery](/en/institutions/galerie-nationale-bab-rouah-rabat) and [National Museum of Photography](/en/institutions/musee-national-photographie). ### Sources and image Information: [main source](https://mjcc.gov.ma/fr/60-ans-de-peinture-au-maroc/). Photograph: [Robert Prazeres / Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bab_oudaia_interior.jpg); Creative Commons — consulter la licence du fichier.