Casa do Benin, Art and history museum in Pelourinho, Salvador, Brazil
Casa do Benin is a museum housed in three restored 19th-century buildings with a three-story atrium and courtyard that blends African design elements throughout. The galleries display artworks and historical objects that document connections between Brazil and West Africa.
Casa do Benin opened in 1988 in Pelourinho as a museum devoted to the relationship between Bahia and Benin, the region from which people were trafficked as slaves to this part of Brazil. After a renovation promoted by Salvador's city government through the Fundação Gregório de Mattos and designed by the Italian-Brazilian architect Lina Bo Bardi, it reopened in December 2014.
The spaces show how Salvador and Benin share traditions that are visible in everyday objects and artwork on display. Visitors can see how these cultural connections remain alive in the city today.
The museum is easily walkable in Salvador's historic center and sits in an area with shops and restaurants nearby. Wear comfortable shoes since the cobblestone streets are steep and the old buildings have narrow stairs and compact spaces.
The museum's renovation was designed by the Italo-Brazilian architect Lina Bo Bardi, and it reopened in December 2014 under the Salvador city government's Fundação Gregório de Mattos. The building sits in the Pelourinho, the historic centre of Salvador, and holds a collection of Afro-Brazilian art and cultural objects.
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