The Judaica Room at the Bardo Museum

The Bardo National Museum, located in Tunis, is one of the most important museums in North Africa and a cornerstone of Tunisian heritage. Housed in a former Beylical palace dating back to the 15th century, the museum features an exceptional collection of Roman mosaics, archaeological artifacts, Islamic art, and rare objects that reflect Tunisia’s rich and diverse history.

Among its many rooms, the Judaica Room holds a special place. As part of the permanent collection, it is dedicated to preserving and showcasing the Jewish memory of Tunisia and North Africa. The room includes various Jewish ritual items (lamps, menorahs, chests, ornaments, etc.), along with several Roman-era mosaics bearing Jewish symbols—evidence of the deep-rooted and ancient Jewish presence in the region.

A particularly notable item in this room is a Torah scroll originating from Libya. It is believed to have been smuggled out after the events of the 2011 Arab Spring, during a period of looting and destruction of heritage sites in Libya. Its inclusion in the Bardo’s collections highlights both the vulnerability of Jewish heritage in North Africa and the ongoing efforts to protect it.

The Judaica Room thus stands as a unique space of memory, where religious, historical, and identity-related dimensions converge. It serves as a reminder that Tunisia’s history cannot be understood without acknowledging its Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and Berber components, all woven into the country’s cultural fabric.