Musée Vodou
Association-run museum housed in a water tower built in 1878, home to a large collection of Vodou objects from West Africa.
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About the museum
The museum occupies a neo-Romanesque water tower built between 1878 and 1883 near Strasbourg railway station. It supplied water to steam locomotives, and railway workers could also bathe in communal cubicles. Abandoned at the end of the 1950s, the building was listed as a historic monument in 1983. Marc Arbogast bought it in 2005 and entrusted its renovation to the architect Michel Moretti; the works were completed in November 2013.
The collection was assembled from 1963 onwards by Marc and Marie-Luce Arbogast during numerous trips to Benin, Togo, Ghana and Nigeria. It now holds more than 1,200 ritual objects (statuettes, masks, altars, divination objects). The museum is run by an association and presents itself as the only European museum entirely dedicated to Vodou.
The permanent exhibition shows around 220 pieces and aims to place Vodou in its religious and philosophical context, far from the clichés of cinema. In 2025, the team reorganized the storerooms and carried out a complete inventory (récolement); one storage area is now open to the public on certain days. An online inventory is being compiled.
Highlights
- More than 1,200 ritual objects from West Africa, about 220 of them on permanent display
- Neo-Romanesque water tower of 1878, formerly a reservoir for steam locomotives
- Figures from the Vodou pantheon such as Hébiéso, Mami Wata and Aguin
- Virtual reality experiences: four ceremonies filmed in Benin
- Museum storerooms open to the public on Wednesdays and Saturdays
Permanent exhibition
- Le vodou, l'art de voir autrement – About 220 objects from the Arbogast collection present West African Vodou: deities, divination objects, protective and ritual objects.
- Operated by
- Association du Château Vodou (musée privé associatif)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €14 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €11Young people aged 11 to 25, large families, job seekers |
| Children & teens | €8€8 rate for children aged 6 to 10; the museum does not specify free admission for younger children. |
| Groups (10+ people) | €14 per personGuided group visit by reservation (10 to 24 people per group). |
| Virtual reality headset hire (in addition to the entrance ticket) | €8About 45 minutes for the four ceremonies; an ID is required as a deposit. |
| Private virtual reality session with guide (booking, 5 to 12 people) | €22About 1 h 30, for ages 14 and up. |
| Monthly virtual reality evening | €22About 1 h 30. |
| Initiate pass (unlimited access for one year, personal) | €65 |
| Friends of the museum rate | €8 |
The audio guide and a children’s activity booklet are included in the ticket. As the museum is private and association-run, free admission on the first Sunday of the month does not apply. Advance tickets are valid for one year.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- 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 accessible to people with reduced mobility. Dogs are not admitted.
Kids & families
Great for kids & familiesRecommended for ages 4+
| Time needed | approx. 75 min |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
The museum welcomes children from the age of 4. An activity booklet is included in the ticket, and family visits are offered regularly. It can help to prepare younger children for the large objects. Virtual reality is not recommended for children under 16.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Porte Blanche – Musée Vodou · 3-min walk
Buses 10, 4 and 2 and tram F to the “Porte Blanche – Musée Vodou” stop. Strasbourg railway station is about a 10-minute walk away.
By car
Parking available · 5-min walk to the entrance
Park-and-ride car park at the “Parc des Romains” tram stop, about a 5-minute walk from the motorway exit; “Centre historique – Petite France” car park about an 8-minute walk away.
Amenities & dining
- Museum shop
The Mythik shop sells African crafts, jewellery, books, honey and coffee; it is open to all daily from 14:00 to 18:00.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Private parties
- Corporate events
- Weddings / ceremonies
Up to 110 guests.
Flexible spaces across three floors: up to 110 people standing, 80 seated for a lecture or 60 for a seated meal (on the 3rd floor). Hire possible from €150 for an empty room; catering on request.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 75 min |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes (FR, EN, DE, ES) |
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Guided tours for adult groups (10 to 80 people) must be booked 10 days in advance, in French, English, German, Swedish or Romanian. Five tours with an educator are offered for school groups aged 6 to 20. The programme also includes themed tours, family visits, lectures and murder-mystery evenings. |
