Things to see and do Dakar

This fishing village, next to the point of Almadies, has kept its labyrinthine streets and its authenticity. Here, everyone knows each other, the children play in the street, the women discuss on the doorsteps, the atmosphere is friendly. We advise you to go there with a guide to learn about the history of the village, its sacred baobab tree, its small beaches, the central square where the village chiefs settle everyday business, the fishing cooperatives that share the profits in the community... a life of family mutual aid to be discovered!

Founded by Joëlle Le Bussy in 1996, this gallery is a showcase of contemporary art where modern African art is mixed with design and arts and crafts. Throughout the year, quality exhibitions are organized there, where famous visual artists and young talents meet. Joëlle also presents her own creations, designer furniture made from precious African woods, and unique decorative objects. Since 2009, Saint-Louis has been home to a branch of the gallery, which is just as pleasant to visit.

ASPT (Agence sénégalaise de la promotion touristique) is Senegal's tourism development agency. It promotes the country's tourist assets, encourages investment in the sector and organizes events to attract visitors. The aim is to make Senegal a destination of choice for travelers, highlighting its cultural wealth, magnificent beaches, varied wildlife and historical heritage. ASPT works closely with tourism stakeholders to promote the country's economic development.

Known for his monumental sculptures, Ousmane Sow was a great figure of contemporary African art and today leaves a great void in the Senegalese artistic landscape. It was with his first series on the Nouba Wrestlers that this Dakar native was revealed to the public in 1987, at the Cultural Institute of the capital. A physiotherapist by profession, he uses his increased knowledge of human anatomy to give realism to his works. He achieved international fame in 1999 during a retrospective of his African series and The Battle of Little Big Horn on the Pont des Arts in Paris. More than 3 million visitors flocked to see the exhibition! He even fulfils the dream of every artist by joining the Academy of Fine Arts in 2013. One of his dreams? To open a place in Senegal dedicated to his most beautiful sculptures, where the public could contemplate them. This wish, although posthumous, has now become a reality thanks to his children and Béatrice Soulé, his artistic agent, who have done everything possible to repatriate his works to Senegal. This house so dear to his heart, which he had named the Sphinx as a preamble to his imagined series on the Egyptians, now houses his greatest works. Between the colourful walls, covered with the material of his creations, we wander through this artistic labyrinth according to our desires and our favourites. From the Nuba to the great men, passing by the Fulani or unfinished projects, we remain in admiration in front of its majestic sculptures.

The African Renaissance Monument impresses with its gigantic size. Already, from the Plateau, you can see this 52 m high colossus, built on one of the two volcanic hills of Les Mamelles, embracing his wife and carrying his child with one arm. Symbolizing Africa turned towards Africa, this monument is a source of controversy, both for its figurative side which displeases conservative Muslims, but also because it is a rather megalomaniacal project of former president Abdoulaye Wade. who under the symbol of a continent has created a monument with an ultra luxurious presidential lounge, costing nearly 15 billion FCFA according to estimates. Moreover, it was made by a North Korean company specializing in concrete rather than art, and it was inaugurated in the presence of several African leaders in 2010 in the midst of the economic crisis, for the 50th anniversary of Senegal's independence. For the rest, you have to climb 198 steps to reach the esplanade before taking an elevator to the 15th floor to admire a breathtaking view of the city and the ocean. One should not expect any artistic prowess from the monument itself, for a very high cost, one finally only pays for the view. We leave without having seen much of interest, except for an explanatory frieze retracing African history, a video of the construction of the monument, and the few rooms dedicated to contemporary African art.

It was the precious dream of Léopold Sédar Senghor, Senegal's first president, to endow the country's capital with an exceptional museum, dedicated to the black peoples from the dawn of humanity to the present day. A promise that has now been fulfilled with the opening of the Museum of Black Civilizations in December 2018. Opposite the Grand Théâtre National, the circular building, inspired by the traditional Casamance impluvium hut, is now a landmark in the capital's landscape, at the gateway to the administrative and business district. It took seven years of work, begun under the mandate of Abdoulaye Wade, and an investment of more than 30 million euros, financed by the Chinese, for its construction and development. With a surface area of 14,000 m², it can accommodate up to 18,000 rooms, presenting the history and evolution of the African continent. Archaeological remains, objects of worship, photographs and contemporary creations are exhibited on two floors, around a gigantic metal baobab (4.5 metres high), created by the Haitian artist Edouard Duval-Carrié. Today, this fascinating museum only presents temporary exhibitions, fed by the collections of partner museums such as the Quai Branly, and which rotate regularly. At a time when the debate on the restitution of works of African art is being revived, this museum offers itself as an ultramodern infrastructure to host them.

The Great Mosque is undoubtedly one of the most impressive buildings in Dakar, overhung by a 67-metre high minaret that you can ask to visit to embrace the city at a glance. Inaugurated in 1964, in the wake of Senegal's independence, it is beautifully decorated both inside and out. In addition to being a place of worship, it is home to the Islamic Institute, a research centre on Islam, and a large library containing, among other things, documents written by Senegalese Muslim scholars.

It is the oldest lighthouse in Dakar, built in 1864 and considered one of the most powerful in Africa. A keeper ensures the permanence and will give you a guided tour of the building. The spiral stairs quickly make you dizzy (sensitive to vertigo, please refrain!). The effort is worth it, because once you get to the top, you can kiss Dakar with one look, with beautiful panoramic views. Initially powered by oil, the lighthouse is now electrified, but it is still lit manually. A bar-restaurant has been set up where evenings are organised.

Right in the heart of the Plateau, this upscale gallery invites you on a unique artistic journey through the works of contemporary artists. From photography to painting, sculpture, drawing and even digital art, you can appreciate various forms of expression depending on the exhibition. In all, some twenty artists from the four corners of the globe rotate through this private gallery, with its well-appointed space. Numerous themes are explored, from traditions to the environment. A fine art gallery not to be missed!

Installed on the Place du Souvenir africain since 2015, the Henriette Bathily Women's Museum is dedicated to the Senegalese women of yesterday and today and their stories. Through objects and accessories, it reveals the role and place of women in Senegalese society. The emphasis is also placed on women who have left their mark on their time, such as Aminata Fall, a pioneer of jazz in Senegal. There are also quality temporary exhibitions honouring women.

Built in the 1930s and consecrated in 1936, the Cathedral of African Remembrance stands out in the Dakar landscape with its immaculate white colour. The materials chosen were imported from different countries (Sudan, Gabon, Tunisia, Benin, France) for a rather surprising result with diverse influences. Erected on a former Lebou cemetery, it was originally a tribute to African soldiers, it was nicknamed for a time the Pantheon of Africa.

Second largest mosque in Senegal, the Massalikoul Djinane mosque, which means "the paths to paradise" in Arabic, rises majestically since 2019 in the popular district of Colobane. Symbol of the power of the Mouride, it culminates at nearly 80 meters high, and pays tribute to Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba, founder of this brotherhood. The interior is grandiose, with its Carrara marble walls, its string of columns and its Baccarat crystal chandeliers!

Like the French Institute, which promotes French culture around the world, the Goethe Institute's mission is to promote the German language and culture, while encouraging cultural exchanges between the two countries. The Germans invest in Senegal, among other 98 countries in the world, to develop numerous cultural projects between the country of Teranga and Germany. The institute offers to the public a quality program mixing visual arts, cinema and music. Conferences on literature are also organized.

Founded by Koyo Kouoh, a key figure on the Senegalese and international art scenes, Raw Material Company is an exhibition and residency space. It also organizes lecture series and has a specialized contemporary art library with free access. Big names from the contemporary art scene have already passed through here: Zanele Muholi, Kader Attia, Pascale Martine Tayou and Bili Bidjocka to name but a few. Be sure to check if there's an exhibition on before dropping in, and if there is, hurry there!

Nicknamed the "teeth of the sea", the house of Léopold Sédar Senghor was converted into a museum in 2014. He lived there with his wife Colette, after his presidential term, from 1981 until his death on December 20, 2001. As you walk through the front door, you are plunged into the intimacy of the president-poet, from the reception room to the "pink room" where he received his guests. On the shelves, books and travel souvenirs. A touching visit, frozen in time.

The return of the fishermen every day at the end of the afternoon is a striking and colourful spectacle. Dozens and dozens of colourful pirogues loaded with freshly caught fish land on the beach in a lively effervescence. The fish is unloaded, cleaned, cooked and sold on the spot by the women or loaded into refrigerated trucks by the men to be sold afterwards inside the country, in Europe or even in Asia. Not to be missed!

Created in 1983, the National Art Gallery is a space for the promotion, diffusion, multiple exchanges and development of the plastic arts. Attached to the Ministry of Culture and Communication, it regularly hosts exhibitions of Senegalese and foreign artists, young hopefuls and recognized creators. It is always interesting to take a look at it when you walk near the Kermel market. But beware, the exhibitions are quite uneven, you can see very beautiful pieces as well as less interesting works!

Built in 1931, it is THE museum of primitive arts of Senegal and even of all West Africa! It is also known as the IFAN (Institut Fondamental d'Afrique Noire) museum, which is located within the Cheikh Anta Diop University. The permanent collection presents, on the ground floor, pieces from all over the continent: masks of the Diola from Casamance or the Senoufo from Ivory Coast, statuettes of the Bambara from Mali, musical instruments. Dance helmets, clothing, wood, fibre, cowries, raffia, feathers, etc., are also on display. The West may have plundered Africa of its artistic riches to put them in its own museums, but there are still some beautiful pieces to be admired. The originality here: small staging of traditional life, which, far from being kitschy, seem very much alive - the celebration of harvests among the Gourounsi of Burkina Faso, entertainment and social control among the Géré of Côte d'Ivoire, the appeasement of mothers among the Yoruba of Nigeria, the initiation of women among the Mende of Sierra Leone, etc. - are all original. It is a pity that all this is sorely lacking in explanations. On the walls, a few signs give indications on the history and social organization of these different tribes, but in such an austere way that one quickly stalls. Upstairs, more modern temporary exhibitions are organized, often in collaboration with western museums.

Do not hesitate to consult the very complete site of the Ministry of tourism and leisure.

Loman is a talented South African artist-designer who moved to Dakar in 2007, a city that inspires her. In perpetual renewal, her house offers a cultural escape in the neighbourhood, where inside, among Loman's astonishing wrought-iron creations, the works of local artists are enthroned. The pleasant interior patio is home to a cafeteria where many events are organised: open mic, games evenings, conferences... The gallery is also a guest house with beautiful rooms decorated with the artist's creations.