In Sousse, Tunisia, the Archaeological Museum occupies part of the Kasbah on the southern side of the medina. The setting is more than a convenient address: the fortress complex dates to the middle of the ninth century, and its tower overlooks the historic town and port. The medina itself has been on UNESCO’s World Heritage List since 1988. The museum is a separate attraction within that protected urban landscape, and its galleries bring together finds from Sousse and archaeological sites across the Tunisian Sahel.
The collection is especially known for Roman mosaics. Tunisia’s Agency for the Development of National Heritage and Cultural Promotion describes it as the country’s second-largest mosaic collection after the Bardo Museum. The works include material from ancient Hadrumetum, the Roman city beneath and around modern Sousse, as well as coastal sites such as El-Jem, Enfidha, Moknine, Temetra and Uzita. For travellers who want to understand why Sousse became a major ancient port, this museum is a focused introduction to the region’s changing communities and visual culture.
