The African Museum of Lyon ( French: Musée Africain de Lyon) is the oldest museum in

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

dedicated to

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

, and one of the oldest museums in

Lyon Lyon,, ; Occitan language, Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, third-largest city and Urban area (France), second-largest metropolitan area of F ...

. The collections specialise in

West African West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations geoscheme for Africa#Western Africa, United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, ...

objects.

The museum was created in 1861 by the

Society of African Missions The Society of African Missions ( la, Societas Missionum ad Afros; ) abbreviated SMA, also known as the SMA Fathers, is a Catholic religious Society of Apostolic Life of pontifical right for men founded by Melchior de Marion Brésillac in 1856 ...

under the influence of

Melchior de Marion Brésillac Melchior-Marie-Joseph de Marion-Brésillac, S.M.A. (2 December 1813 – 25 June 1859) was a French Catholic prelate and the founder of the Society of African Missions. Early life and priesthood Brésillac was born at Castelnaudary, Fran ...

. After his death, Augustin Planque took over his role and asked the missionaries of the Society to send to France items reflecting the everyday, social and religious life of Africa. In 1998, the museum began the refurbishment and restoration of its building, which was formally reopened on 28 January 2001. The museum is situated at 150, Cours Gambetta, Lyon. The building now provides 750m² for the display of the permanent collection, comprising 2,126 African objects. Exhibits are divided into three categories: Everyday Life, Social Life, and Religious Life. There is also a room reserved for temporary exhibitions.

External links

Musée Africain de Lyon official website
{{coord, 45, 44, 59.5, N, 4, 51, 28.5, E, type:landmark_region:FR, display=title Museums established in 1861 7th arrondissement of Lyon Museums in Lyon Anthropology museums in France Art museums and galleries in France African art museums 1861 establishments in France Society of African Missions

See also

External links