The Red Castle Museum in Tripoli is a fantastic way to spend an afternoon soaking up the history and culture of this magnificent North African country. The museum gives you an opportunity to soak up 5,000 years of history and is located in the spectacular Red Castle fort, which is a masterpiece on its own.
The museum was established in 1919 and closed for some time before reopening in 1988, it’s now one of the top Tripoli tourist attractions with six main exhibitions spanning over numerous floors and wings.
You get to the entrance of the Red Castle Museum from the famous Martyrs Square and from here you can start exploring the prehistory wing, the Ancient Libya Tribes and Traditions wing, the Libyan culture wing, Italian Libya World War II wing and the National History wing.
You can find all sorts of artefacts here letting you step back in time including Roman statues, jewelry and even a 5,400 years old mummy which was found in the Acacus Mountains.
The top floor of the museum is dedicated to ruler Gadhafi including his Volkswagen Beetle.
Leaving the Museum
Once you’ve explored all the museum has to offer your day of sightseeing doesn’t have to end there. You are right in Martyr’s Square or Green Square as it is also known where you can soak up the architectural delights of the surrounding area.
Be sure to stop in at the Medina where you can make your way through the narrow passages, enjoy some traditional Libyan architecture, see the spectacular mosques and do some shopping at the souk. Souks are traditional markets and are a hive of activity selling a range of traditional items.
Don’t miss the Arch of Marcus Aurelis which dates back to 165AD.
