Musée des arts africains, océaniens et amérindiens, Ethnographic museum in Vieille Charité, Marseille, France.
The Museum of African, Oceanian, and Amerindian Arts is housed in the Vieille Charité and displays masks, statues, and ceremonial objects from three continents, with collections primarily arranged on the second floor. The exhibition areas separate African ritual pieces, Oceanian artworks, and American indigenous items into distinct galleries.
The museum opened in 1992 and received the official Musée de France designation in 2003, recognizing its status as a national cultural institution. This designation established it as an officially recognized repository of cultural heritage.
The African galleries display initiation masks from Senegal adorned with horns, fibers, and seeds, used by the Diola people in their ritual ceremonies. These objects show how such masks were central to community transitions and social celebrations.
The museum is located within a courtyard of the Vieille Charité, a bustling public space with stairs leading to the second level where the main collections are displayed. Visitors should wear comfortable shoes and note that some areas may be difficult to access during poor weather.
The Oceania-America section holds around 80 carved human skulls and Native American feather ornaments gathered from various cultures, forming one of the more distinctive aspects of the collection. These pieces reveal the diversity of ritual practices and artistic expressions across non-European societies.
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