IFAN Museum of African Arts

The IFAN Museum of African Arts is an art museum in Dakar housing collections focused on African works and cultural heritage. The building contains two floors displaying rotating exhibitions featuring art forms from across the region.

The building was completed in 1931 and originally housed the administration of French West Africa. Seven years later it was transformed into a museum dedicated to preserving African artistic heritage.

The collection reflects artistic traditions that remain central to West African ceremonies and daily life today. Visitors encounter masks, statues, and instruments displayed not merely as historical objects but as expressions of living cultural practice.

The museum is located in the Plateau district and accessible on foot, though parking nearby is limited. Visitors should arrive early, particularly on weekends, when more people visit and exhibition spaces become crowded.

The upper floor features contemporary African art through partnerships between regional and international institutions. These rotating exhibitions reveal how African artistic expression continues to evolve and engages with contemporary concerns.

Location: Dakar

Inception: 1938

Official opening: 1938

Address: Place Soweto, Plateau

Website: http://ifan.ucad.sn

GPS coordinates: 14.66331,-17.43807

Latest update: December 6, 2025 17:43