Royal Automobile Museum

About this place

A museum of the Hashemite royal family's cars in King Hussein Park, west Amman, billed as the first car museum in the Arab world. King Abdullah II created it in memory of his father, King Hussein, a keen racing driver, and it opened to the public in 2003. Its more than 100 cars and motorcycles trace Jordan's history from the founding king, Abdullah I, to today. The oldest car, a 1916 Cadillac, is linked to Sharif Hussein bin Ali, leader of the Great Arab Revolt. Others marked moments of state: the 1952 Lincoln Capri convertible of King Hussein's 1953 coronation, an armoured 1956 Cadillac from President Eisenhower, the 1961 Lincoln Continental convertible of King Abdullah II and Queen Rania's 1993 wedding, and the 1975 Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman, the last car King Hussein used, on returning from treatment in 1999. The building is tucked into a hill, lit by a glass strip along the top. Halls such as the Royal Hall and Sport Cars Hall show the cars beside archive photos and film, and the motorcycles include a red Harley-Davidson that King Hussein rode with Queen Noor. Outside stands the rover model built for the film The Martian, given to Jordan by its makers; the film's Mars scenes were partly shot in Wadi Rum. The park lies on the city's western edge, about 11 km from downtown; come by taxi. The Children's Museum is next door and the King Hussein bin Talal Mosque under half a kilometre away, so the area makes a good half-day with children.