MusAfrica Namur

About the museum

MusAfrica Namur, formerly the Musée africain de Namur, is run by the ASBL (non-profit association) Musée africain de Namur, founded by the Cercle royal namurois des Anciens d’Afrique (an association created in 1910). It is housed in the former guardhouse of the Léopold barracks, built in 1885, on the rue du Premier Lanciers.

After several years of closure, the museum has reopened in a fully renovated building, with contemporary museography that places the collections within a narrative about the historical and cultural links between Belgium and Central Africa. It aims to be a place of memory, dialogue and research, open to social debate, colonial history and contemporary creation, and it is run by a team of volunteers, researchers and professionals. It is part of a neighbourhood undergoing cultural conversion, with the La Célestine library, a new music conservatoire and the Grand Manège concert hall.

The collections comprise several thousand objects, paintings and sculptures, as well as photographs, postcards, prints and period documents (correspondence, reports, newspapers). The library holds nearly 26,000 books, published from the late 18th century to the present, which show how Africa has been perceived and told through the colonial gaze.

Highlights

• Several thousand objects from Central Africa, paintings and sculptures
• A critical look at the links between Belgium and Central Africa
• Specialist library of nearly 26,000 books on Africa
• Photographs, postcards, prints and period archives
• Fully renovated museum, accessible by lift to all levels

Permanent exhibition

• Collections permanentes – Objects, paintings, sculptures, photographs and archives that tell the story of the relations between Belgium and Africa, and more specifically Central Africa, in contemporary museography.

Operated by

ASBL Musée africain de Namur

Admission & discounts

Free entry for children under 12, holders of an Article 27 ticket, members of MusAfrica and ICOM, and holders of the museumPASSmusées. Free self-guided visit with teaching materials for primary and secondary school groups from the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The museum states that it is fully accessible to people with reduced mobility: a lift serves all levels and the circulation areas are wide.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

The museum is located in the former guardhouse of the Léopold barracks.

Amenities & dining

• Café: not available
• Restaurant: not available

The museum has no catering area; many restaurants and bars are located in the immediate vicinity.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit