Jordan celebrated its centennial this year: 100 years since the creation of the state in 1921. The place and its people have a much longer history, one stretching back for millennia. But the country of Jordan is a modern invention – more modern than the motor car.
The museum in Amman that best tells the story of Jordan over the past century is the Royal Automobile Museum. This might not be what you would expect. But the Royal Automobile Museum is much more than a succession of old cars. It also relates the story of Jordan’s ruling family through the vehicles they owned and drove. Each car in the collection has a tale to tell: of state occasions, diplomatic relations, and notable journeys. The cars also reveal something about the personalities and passions of Jordan’s royals.
Roads have always been important to Jordan; it is a country of trade routes. The King’s Highway has existed since prehistoric times (it is now called Highway 35). And long-established pilgrimage routes to Mecca cross through the kingdom. So it is easy to see why the evolution of the automobile has had a profound effect on Jordan’s development as a country. It would be fair to say Jordanians love their cars, and none more so than the royal family.
But you don’t have to be a car enthusiast to enjoy the Royal Automobile Museum. We visited with a friend, and none of us could be described as a petrol-head. But we all found the museum surprisingly interesting and entertaining.
The museum is located in a spacious, modern building on the edge of Al Hussein Park. And because it is air-conditioned, it is one of the few tourist attractions in Amman which is comfortable to visit in the height of summer. The lighting in the museum is excellent, showing off the cars – all in immaculate condition – to best effect.
As you would expect, several of the cars served on state occasions – Rolls Royces and bullet-proof limousines that transported Heads of State and foreign dignitaries. Some were diplomatic gifts, such as a 1956 armoured Cadillac given by President Eisenhower.
Many of cars in the museum are boys-toys, the sports cars in which the royal princes would zip up and down the highway to Aqaba.
The final section of the museum is devoted to the rally-driving exploits of the present king, Abdullah II, who was Jordanian National Rally Racing Champion in his youth.
And it’s not just cars: the museum also has a large collection of historic motorcycles. King Hussein would sometimes be seen roaring across the desert on his Harley-Davidson.
The oldest car in the collection is a 1916 Cadillac Type 53. This belonged to Shariff Hussein, father of the first ruler of Jordan, Abdullah I. Shariff Hussein triggered the Great Arab Revolt in 1916, setting in motion the events which ultimately led to the creation of Jordan and other independent Arab states. Shariff Hussein used the Cadillac when he came to Amman in 1922, his first visit to the capital of the newly created state.
Outside the museum, in a glass case, is the Mars Rover made for the 2015 film The Martian starring Matt Damon. The scenes on Mars were filmed in Wadi Rum in Jordan. In gratitude for the hospitality they had received in the country during filming, the crew and cast donated the Mars Rover to the Royal Automobile Museum. It has a diesel engine, so can be driven (with a few exceptions, all the cars in the museum are in full working order, and most are taken out occasionally for a spin).
The Mars Rover is science fiction, but science reality tells us our love of cars is helping to destroy the only planet we inhabit. Emissions from car engines are a major contributor to global warming – something a hot, dry country such as Jordan has to take seriously. You don’t need to spend long in Amman, a congested and polluted city, before you feel you are being suffocated by car fumes. If Jordan is to have a future, as it moves into its second century, it urgently needs to wean itself off its addiction to conventional motor cars. However, the museum does not acknowledge the environmental problems caused by cars, which feels like a missed opportunity. It could play a valuable role in helping to change attitudes; for example, by showcasing sustainable alternatives. But if there are any electric cars, for example, in the collection, we didn’t see them on our visit.
Leaving aside this omission, the Royal Automobile Museum is nevertheless an excellent museum, with a world-class collection of cars. And I’m sure it is somewhere we will return to when we have visitors in the future.
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