GIDAN MAKAMA MUSEUM

One of the best furnished museums in the country, which is worth a visit if you stay in Kano. The typical structure of Hausa architecture is made of thick banco and wooden walls, always in this warm ochre. It is in fact the very first palace of the Emirs, which dates back to 1440. The museum's management was keen to bring together elements from all the major periods in the region's history, from the Stone Age to the contemporary economy, not to mention a major episode on the British conquest. The route begins with the guns used by the latter to invade the city in 1903, before admiring the very beautiful gates of the city. The history of the different Emir dynasties, including the current one which owes its nomination to the settlers, is also detailed, with some pictures from the period. Some musical and hunting instruments, and many details about Lord Lugard's capture of Kano in 1903.