Majorelle Garden
Built by French painter Jacques Majorelle in 1923 and later owned by Yves Saint Laurent, this botanical garden is famous for its striking cobalt blue buildings, exotic plant collection, and Berber Museum.
Yves Saint Laurent Museum: Fashion Art in Marrakech
A stunning tribute to the legendary French couturier and his lifelong love affair with Morocco's Red City.
About the Yves Saint Laurent Museum
The Musee Yves Saint Laurent Marrakech (mYSLm) opened in October 2017 as a permanent tribute to one of the 20th century's most influential fashion designers. Yves Saint Laurent first visited Marrakech in 1966 and fell instantly in love with the city's light, colors, and energy. Morocco became a lifelong source of inspiration, influencing iconic collections that drew on Berber jewelry, zellige tilework, and the vivid hues of the souks.
The museum building itself is a masterpiece, designed by the French architecture firm Studio KO. Its facade of interlocking terracotta bricks evokes the warp and weft of fabric, paying homage to Saint Laurent's craft. Inside, 4,000 square meters house a permanent collection gallery, a temporary exhibition hall, a 150-seat auditorium, a research library, a bookshop, and the elegant Le Jardin cafe.
The permanent exhibition rotates pieces from the Pierre Berge - Yves Saint Laurent Foundation's archive of over 5,000 garments and 15,000 accessories. Visitors can admire legendary designs including the Mondrian dress, Le Smoking tuxedo, and vibrant kaftans inspired by Moroccan culture.
Practical Tips for Visiting
Tickets and prices: General admission costs 100 MAD (approximately 9 EUR) for adults. Students and children under 12 enter at reduced rates. A combined ticket with the adjacent Majorelle Garden costs 180 MAD (17 EUR) and saves both money and queueing time. Tickets can be purchased online in advance, which is recommended during peak season from October to April.
Best time to visit: Arrive when the museum opens at 10:00 to avoid the midday crowds that spill over from Majorelle Garden next door. Weekday mornings are the quietest. The museum is closed on Wednesdays, so plan accordingly. Allow 60 to 90 minutes for a thorough visit, plus extra time if you want to linger at the cafe or bookshop.
Photography: Photography without flash is permitted in most areas of the museum. The building's architecture, with its play of natural light and textured surfaces, is particularly photogenic from the courtyard and exterior walkways.
What's Nearby
The museum shares a campus with the Majorelle Garden, the iconic cobalt-blue botanical garden that Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge purchased and restored in 1980. A stroll through the garden's bamboo groves, cactus collections, and shaded pathways is the perfect complement to a museum visit. The garden entrance is just steps away.
The Gueliz neighborhood surrounding the museum is Marrakech's modern commercial district, lined with European-style cafes, galleries, and boutiques along Avenue Mohammed V. It offers a refreshing contrast to the intensity of the Medina, located about 3 km to the southeast.
For another garden experience, Le Jardin Secret in the heart of the Medina features beautifully restored Islamic and exotic gardens within a 19th-century riad. It pairs well with the YSL Museum for a full day of Marrakech's most refined attractions.
Frequently Asked Questions
General admission is 100 MAD (approximately 9 EUR) for adults. A combined ticket with the adjacent Majorelle Garden costs 180 MAD (17 EUR), which offers good value and saves time. Reduced rates are available for students and children under 12.
Absolutely. The Studio KO building alone is an architectural landmark worth seeing, and the exhibitions cover broader themes of art, color, and Moroccan cultural influence. The museum also hosts photography and contemporary art exhibitions that appeal to a wide audience.
Yes, the two sites are adjacent and share a campus. A combined ticket costs 180 MAD (17 EUR). Most visitors spend 1 to 1.5 hours in the museum and another hour in the garden. Starting with the museum and finishing in the garden works best.
Wednesday is the museum's weekly closing day, following the same schedule as many Moroccan cultural institutions. Both the YSL Museum and Majorelle Garden are closed on Wednesdays, so plan your visit for another day of the week.
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Le Jardin Secret
Hidden behind unassuming walls in the Medina, Le Jardin Secret reveals two magnificent gardens — one exotic, one Islamic — alongside a tower offering sweeping views over Marrakech's rooftops and the Atlas Mountains beyond.