Dead Sea Museum

The basics

Despite the modern architecture of the complex, the Dead Sea Museum—also known as the Dead Sea Panorama Museum—takes a traditional approach to its theme, with glass display cases of fossils and text-and-image boards explaining the science that underpins the wonders below, although you can get hands-on with specimens of some of the impressive sedimentary rocks. There’s a small charge to visit the museum, which is not included in the Jordan Pass, but it’s great preparation before or after your Dead Sea float or mud spa.

Things to know before you go

• The Dead Sea Museum is a great stop when traveling to or from the Dead Sea, with particular interest for fans of geology, archaeology, and conservation.
• Allow between 15 minutes and 1 hour to visit the museum, depending on your thirst for knowledge.
• Don’t confuse Jordan’s Dead Sea Museum with the online-only Dead Sea Museum, which is dedicated to conceptual art and architecture, or the Museum of the Lowest Place on Earth, which is at the southern end of the Dead Sea.
• Both the museum and the complex are wheelchair accessible.

How to get there

The Dead Sea Museum forms part of the Panorama Dead Sea Complex on the Dead Sea Parkway. It perches on a hill towards the north of the Dead Sea, about a 45-mile (70-kilometer) drive south of Amman. Rideshares and public transportation aren’t an option here, so you’re best off self-driving, hiring a private driver, or joining a tour.

When to get there

The Dead Sea Museum is open 9am–5pm daily. It’s rarely busy, so stop by at a time that works for you. Depending on the time of year, it might be worth visiting late in the day to catch sunset from the restaurant.

Panorama Dead Sea Complex

The Dead Sea Museum is just one part of a complex that boasts epic views across the Dead Sea to Israel. While the museum shuts long before sunset, the restaurant stays open into the evenings and, at warmer times of year, its terrace is a spectacular spot for sundowners. You can even make a night of it by staying in the hotel complex, which is called the Octagon but has pyramid-shaped rooms.