History and Architecture

Dar Mustapha Pasha was built at the end of the eighteenth century for Mustapha Pasha, Dey of Algiers from 1798 to 1805. An inscription inside the palace confirms that construction was completed in 1799.

After the French occupation of Algiers in 1830, the palace served several purposes. From 1863, it housed the National Library and the Archaeological Museum. The library remained there until 1948.

After independence, the Algerian state restored the palace. In 2007, it became the home of the National Museum of Illumination, Miniature Painting and Arabic Calligraphy.

The palace is organised around a central courtyard that provides light and ventilation. Its marble columns, galleries, arches, wooden ceilings, and decorated tiles reflect the richness of Algerian traditional architecture.

The entrance leads to a sqifa, a passageway designed to protect the privacy of the residents and provide a gradual transition between the street and the interior of the house.