African Museum of Lyon, Art museum in 7th arrondissement of Lyon, France.
The African Museum of Lyon is an art museum in the 7th arrondissement of Lyon, housing over 2,000 objects from across Africa arranged in themed exhibition areas. The collection covers a wide range, from everyday items to ritual objects used in ceremonial contexts.
The museum was founded in 1861 by the Society of African Missions and was the first museum in France dedicated solely to African cultures. Over time, the collection grew mainly through donations from missionaries who had lived and worked directly with African communities.
Many objects in the collection come from West Africa and show how people shaped everyday and ritual items, from masks to tools used in daily life. Looking at them gives a sense of craft traditions that are rarely shown in European museums.
The museum sits on Cours Gambetta in the 7th arrondissement, but it is currently not open for regular visits. It is worth checking the latest access conditions with local cultural bodies before making the trip.
Although the museum was founded by missionaries, many objects in the collection were given directly by African community members rather than taken, which makes the provenance of this collection different from that of many colonial-era holdings. Some of these pieces are now the only surviving examples of certain craft practices.
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