This article presents an in-depth study of the situation of museums created during the French protectorate in Morocco with a colonial purpose, even if the founders of these museums claim to have followed scientific methods in the presentation of ethnographic and archaeological collections. In the XIXth century, we know that the most of colonial powers had tried to adapt the Human Sciences to the objectives of their colonial expansion by encouraging several groups of researchers to conduct research in colonized regions (or candidates for colonization). They tried to demonstrate the need for a direct intervention in these areas, either to spread Western "civilization" or to preserve and develop the existing heritage elements. In Morocco, this kind of researches carried out by members of "scientific" exploration (espionage) missions, had led to the creation of an important documentation about the art and history of Morocco. Information from this fund was widely used by the French employees of antiquities and indigenous arts services of the French Protection to document and present collections exhibited in archaeological and ethnographical museums. However, the purpose of creating these institutions was not only for scientific documentation, but also for transmitting many concepts related to the historical role of France (since Roman Empire) in the dissemination of "civilization" in Morocco and the modernization of its ancient institutions and its ancient artisanal production. This propaganda was orchestrated through a monopoly of museum discourse which was formulated exclusively by French officials.
