MUSEUM OF GUYANESE CULTURES

Museum at 78, open Monday to Saturday, 8am to 1pm and 3pm to 5:45pm. Admission €2. Annex at 54, free, open non-stop.

54 Rue Madame Payé

Just a few yards from the headquarters of the Musée des cultures guyanaises, on the same street, another traditional Creole house opens its doors. Dedicated to the spaces and lifestyles of yesteryear in an urban environment, this museum annex was acquired in 2000. Rehabilitated in 2006, it is a place of memory and history.

The identically refurbished rooms, the furniture and collectables, the outdoor kitchen and bathing room, the well... all help to immerse visitors in the atmosphere that prevailed in Cayenne between the end of the 19th and the first half of the 20th century.

54" also features a permanent exhibition on an illustrious Guyanese personality who once owned the house: Herménégilde Tell. Much of the furniture on display belonged to him. Temporary exhibitions on other personalities or historical events from the period in question, or on aspects of Creole culture, are also on offer.

From a very modest social background, Herménégilde Tell is probably the only black man to have held the post of Director of the Guyana Prison Administration during the penal colony era. He was also a lawyer, general councillor and senior member of the Freemasons' Guild

Architecture

A fine example of traditional Creole architecture in an urban setting, this house is perfectly adapted to the local climate. The main materials used are drawn from the Guyanese forest. The house is called "en pans de bois" (timber-framed).
The walls are made of bricks or panels of woven wooden strips, known as gaulettes, which are plastered with earth and lime. The roof, combined with rotating awnings, provides generous shade and protects the walls from heavy rain.
Upstairs, a balcony allows you to enjoy the fresh air and the lively street scene. The house communicates with the city: an interplay of doors, louvered windows and perforated transoms promotes ventilation and regulates light.

Audiovisual space

This comfortable, modern space, which can accommodate up to 40 people, offers a selection of documentary films on French Guiana's culture, heritage and history.

Museum workshops

Organized during the school vacations, workshops are open to young and old alike. They focus on Guianese techniques and know-how.