Royal Automobile Museum

The Royal Automobile Museum tells modern Jordanian history through cars, displaying the personal collection of the late King Hussein in a purpose-built hall in Amman. Set within the green expanse of King Hussein Park on the western edge of the city, it is one of the capital's most engaging and genuinely unexpected attractions.

The collection is both grand and personal. More than seventy vehicles trace the reign of King Hussein from the 1950s onward, from ceremonial state limousines and gleaming classic sports cars to the rugged off-roaders and powerful motorcycles he drove himself around the kingdom. Many are rare, historically important or entirely unique, reflecting the late king's well-known lifelong passion for engines and speed.

Each car is set carefully in its historical moment. Period photographs, film clips and clear captions link the vehicles to the events, journeys and visiting dignitaries they carried, so the displays double as a readable timeline of the country's development and its shifting place in twentieth-century regional diplomacy. A newer section extends the story into the reign of the current King Abdullah II.

For visitors, the museum works well for enthusiasts and general travellers alike. It is modern, air-conditioned and fully accessible, with clear English signage throughout, and the surrounding park offers open space for a walk or a picnic afterwards. It lies a short drive from the centre, best reached by taxi, and admission is inexpensive by the standards of the city's attractions. Allow an hour or two, and combine it with the park's other family-friendly attractions to fill a relaxed half day away from the bustle of downtown Amman. A gift shop and café by the entrance round off the visit, and the collection suits families with older children well.