Nouakchott Museum, Mosques and Markets
Advisory, October 2026: The UK FCDO gives Nouakchott no warning, but the US State Department rates Mauritania Level 3, Reconsider Travel, and Canada advises avoiding the Cinquième district after dark. Sights in the capital are best seen in daylight, with cash and a driver, and the Canada travel page has current detail.
Nouakchott’s sights are scattered across a flat, sandy city, so a taxi between stops saves time and energy. They fall into three groups: a museum of the desert’s past, two large mosques that are seen from the street, and the markets. Prices are quoted in ouguiya (MRU).
National Museum
The National Museum is in central Nouakchott near Hotel Marhaba and the town hall. It shares a building with the manuscripts conservation centre and the national library, and has two permanent rooms and a temporary room. The collections cover archaeology from medieval Saharan trade towns such as Azougui, Koumbi Saleh and Aoudaghost, and nomad life, with tents, leather saddlebags, harp-lutes called tidinit and ardin, tribal jewellery and wooden padlocks. Labels are in French and Arabic. Allow 45 to 60 minutes. A listing gives a fee of about 50 MRU, but hours differ between sources, so check locally.
Saudi Mosque
The Grande Mosquée, known as the Saudi Mosque, stands in the central district near the museum. Its sandy-yellow facade, dome and twin square minarets can be seen across the city centre. It is an active place of worship and non-Muslims are not admitted inside, so you view it from the exterior perimeter. Dress conservatively and do not photograph worshippers.
Moroccan Mosque
The Moroccan Mosque stands in the southern commercial area near Marché Capitale. It was built with Moroccan funding and craftsmen, in an Andalusian style, with a tall square minaret of white, blue and green tilework. Visitors view it from outside. The streets around it are full of fabric traders.
Marché Sixième, El Mina
The market in the south of the city is the place for Mauritanian cloth: melhafas, the long cotton veils women wear, damask boubous, and bright Senegalese wax prints. Tailors work at pedal sewing machines in open stalls and can make a tunic quickly. Women should carry a headscarf.
Marché Capitale
The Grand Marché near Carrefour BMD is the central market, with spices, dried hibiscus, dates from Atar, desert perfumes and household goods. Parts of the old halls have been reorganised, but the surrounding streets stay busy. Keep valuables close.
Things you cannot photograph
The Presidential Palace, ministries, police and military buildings and embassies are off limits to cameras, and guards detain people who photograph them. Ask before photographing people.
Read more: Walking tours in Nouakchott has two short routes through Ksar and Tevragh-Zeina.
Booking help
Compare city tours on Viator . The Wikivoyage Nouakchott page lists current museum and transport notes.