Museum and Visitor Center
The Jordanian Department of Antiquities is currently restoring one of the ancient buildings, House 119, to serve as a site museum and visitor center. When complete, the center will offer exhibits about ancient Umm el-Jimal and objects recovered from the site, a film screening room, a cafe with refreshments, a library and shop, restrooms, and an outdoor courtyard overlooking the ruins.
About House 119
House 119 is a great choice for the museum because it is both centrally located at the site's main entrance and a critical part of Umm el-Jimal's history. One of the few buildings constructed during the early Islamic Umayyad period, House 119 reflected continuity with local building traditions as well as the daily reliance for local people on animals and agriculture. For instance, several rooms of the home have stone mangers; it's likely that the home's occupants would have lived in the structure's upper story, while giving animals access to the ground floor.
Community Projects
The Umm el-Jimal Project, its partnering organizations, and the local community are giving high priority to a series of sustainable development projects that will directly benefit the town's residents. These projects complement and enhance the site museum and other responsible tourism developments by the Department of Antiquities and Ministry of Tourism. For more details, see the Community section.
