Would you like to learn more about the renovation of the museum during your visit to the AfricaMuseum? Or are you curious about the origins of the museum pieces? Then the AfricaMuseum offers you ErfgoedApp tours in the ErfgoedApp that allow you to discover the museum in a new way.
Experts speak
In this tour, you will be guided by the experts who worked on the museum's renovation. The museum director, a historian, an archaeologist, and a biologist will share their vision with you and guide you through the various museum rooms, while artists Aimé Mpane and Jean-Pierre Müller explain how their artworks confront the colonial images in the museum.
Origin route
In the Origin Trail, you will search for the origins of various objects on display in the AfricaMuseum by scanning them with the ErfgoedApp. The tour ties in seamlessly with the current debate on the restitution or return of objects that were unlawfully removed from their country of origin during the colonial period. An investigation is currently underway to trace the origins of collection items so that unlawfully acquired objects can be returned to the Congolese people.
"The time has come for the return of objects that were unlawfully removed from Congo, because they belong to the Congolese people" - State Secretary for Science Policy Thomas Dermine
One of the objects you can scan with the app is this mask. It was donated to the museum in 1913 by the Compagnie du Kasaï. This company, which was originally active in rubber extraction, later focused on palm oil and mining. In order to extract these raw materials, it imposed a reign of terror in the Congolese region of Kasaï. Through exhibitions and donations of objects such as this mask, the Compagnie du Kasaï attempted to polish its image. Like many other objects on this tour, the mask provides a good picture of the sometimes complex provenance history of the museum collection.
Unparalleled art
In a separate museum room, you can discover the artistic production of masks, sculptures, ivory carvings, and everyday objects. Scan the object with the ErfgoedApp learn more about the origin and function of these collection pieces.
Would you like to ErfgoedApp the AfricaMuseum with the ErfgoedApp ? Reserve your tickets via the museum's website and download the ErfgoedApp the App Store or Google Play. More information can be found via these links:
