The best museums Maputo

The greatest Mozambican artists are represented, including the famous Malangatana and the sculptor Chissano, whose work can be seen upon arrival in the lobby of the Maputo airport, as well as more recent works of contemporary art. A permanent exhibition will give you a glimpse of Mozambican painting. On the other hand, temporary exhibitions are organized from time to time, but unfortunately, the museum may lack some dynamism. Some books and catalogues are on sale at the reception desk.

The Museu nacional da moeda is nicknamed "Casa Amarela" because of the yellow colour of its façade. The building, built in 1787, is one of the oldest in the city. It was completely redone a few years ago. The museum, the former house of the president, traces the history of the money market in Mozambique, from the shell that served as currency during the Bantu Empire to the ancestor of the metical, the current currency, a duck feathered rachis.

Large establishment which is worth a visit for its architecture more or less inspired by Manueline art and its garden, which houses a fresco by Malangatana. There is an ethnographic room, and although decrepit, the impressive collection of animals living in the country is also worth a visit. Of particular note are the 14 elephant foetuses illustrating the entire development of the embryo during the 20 months of gestation. In the garden there is a juice bar, Sukos Juices, pleasant to drink a drink.

As it is one of the only museums in town, we had to mention it. In fact, the Fishing Museum is more than modest, even boring: there are a few fishing nets, a few explanatory panels about fish and some old traditional dhows gathering dust. The few meager explanations are only in Portuguese. We are far from the interactive exhibition of today's museums! The price being derisory, one can still make a tour there if one comes to visit the fortress or to make a tour to the Galeria in the port.