Afrika - Museum Volkenkunde
Permanent exhibition

Exhibition Africa

Learn more about this multi-faceted continent

Masks from the Dogon, royal bronzes from Benin and powerful statues: take a journey through Africa.

Step into the world of the Dogon with their impressive masks and statues. The Dogon region is one of Mali’s key tourist attractions. The masked dances are particularly popular. Masked dances traditionally accompany key Dogon rituals linked to death and are performed by the fellowship of the mask, of which only men can be members.

The world-famous Djenné mosque is one of the most impressive examples of adobe architecture and has rightly been included by UNESCO on its World Heritage List. You can view a detailed model here.

Masterpiece: golden pipe

Please note: this masterpiece is now temporarily on display in the exhibition Our Colonial Inheritance at Wereldmuseum Amsterdam. Our apologies for the inconvenience.

A gold pipe donated by the King of the Asante from Ghana to King Willem I in 1837. Gold and silver pipes were a popular gift from Ghanaian kings to dignitaries. Major-General Verveer accepted this pipe on behalf of the king. It was given a place in the Royal Cabinet of Rarities, which later merged into Wereldmuseum Leiden.

gouden tabakspijp Assante

Tip: African contemporary art

Are you interested in contemporary art from Africa? Then also visit our exhibition In Brilliant Light. A dynamic dialogue between the present and the recent past, the exhibition celebrates the richness and diversity of art from Africa and the diaspora. Immerse yourself in the different worlds of artists and how they are influenced by the past in the present.

In Schitterend Licht

If you want to browse through the Africa online collection yourself, check out our collection website.

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