Mohammed Ali who would later become the de facto ruler and modernizer of Egypt was born in this house and lived here until he was 30. His early life in Kavala shaped his worldview before he rose to power in Egypt where he implemented major military, educational and economic reforms that transformed the region.

The house is notable not only for its connection to Mohammed Ali but also as one of the rare and well preserved 18th century Ottoman urban architecture in Greece. The building was constructed with traditional methods and local materials and reflects the wealth and influence of Kavala’s merchant elite during the Ottoman period.

In the late 19th and early 20th century as the building aged and the political dynamics changed efforts were made to preserve the house due to its historical importance. Restoration works sponsored by the Egyptian state and supported by the Egyptian Royal Family helped to maintain the building and its garden.

Today the museum retains much of the original atmosphere with simple yet evocative interior decoration. You can see carpets, pottery and furniture from the period all helping to illustrate domestic life during the late Ottoman era. Although the museum doesn’t have a big collection of artifacts its value lies in the building itself and its historical connections.