NATIONAL MUSEUM OF MALI

Although it has existed since 1953, the current museum, funded by President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, was built by the French architect Jean-Loup Pivin in 1982. After extensive renovations, the museum was inaugurated in October 2003, in the presence of the Prince Aga Khan and Amadou Toumani Touré. It is now the second largest museum on the continent, after that of South Africa. Inspired by Djenné style buildings, this is an architectural success. On 1 700 m ² it houses splendid collections of art and ethnographic artefacts in Mali. Three permanent exhibitions allow you to have an idea of the diversity of Malian culture. The first, «the Mali Millennium», presents archaeological collections, results of excavations conducted in the country since the 1950 s. In addition to the prehistoric and tellem objects, you will discover the beautiful terracotta statuettes of Djenné and its region. The second room is devoted to traditional sculpture (statuettes and masks of Dogon, Bamanan, Senufo, Bwa, etc.) produced most often in the context of initiation societies whose rituals embody the life of the individual and society. The guide will explain the role of these objects in the initiation societies. Among the most beautiful pieces are the bobo androgynous statue representing happiness and prosperity, the sénoufo sénoufo, a symbol of fertility, the zoomorphes bamanan and sénoufo masks, whose role is to terrorize the envoûteurs, the ciwara dance crests, male and female, representing the antelope, the symbol of agility, and hommage and senufo. In the third room, on 600 m ², there is a remarkable exhibition of old and recent textiles, which gives an idea of the weaving and dyeing traditions in use in Mali. From basin to wool vêtements, you will find the entire range of textile production in the country. Some key pieces, such as the tilbi tilbi (embroidered embroidered, originating in Timbuktu and Djenné, demanding 3 years of work!), the large peuhl peuhl drapes and beautiful tellem and dogon pieces from the Falaise cliff. The museum hosts various temporary exhibitions and organizes screenings of films, workshops, musical entertainment every Thursday from to, free entrance…

Provide a tip for the guide. It also sells crafts, books, posters and postcards. You can enjoy lunch and drink fresh drinks.

In October 2010, the brand new national park was inaugurated. A huge green area through shady alleys, benches and fountains. We almost forget that we are in Africa. 1 500 FCFA the entry.