In the heart of Dakar, Senegal’s bustling capital, the Museum of Black Civilisations rises as a profound testament to Africa’s cultural identity and historical depth. Its central rotunda is dominated by a monumental iron sculpture of a baobab tree, whose sprawling metallic branches evoke a network of cultural veins—symbols of resilience, memory, and unity that stretch across the African continent and its global diasporas.
On 18 May, in observance of International Museum Day, the museum held a special event themed around children. Entry was free for families, with tailored cultural programmes that included storytelling, workshops, and guided tours. “This year’s focus is on children,” explained Mohamed Abdallah Ly, Director of the Museum. “We aim to nurture a connection between young visitors and their heritage through engaging, joyful encounters with African history and creativity.”
The Museum of Black Civilisations—Musée des Civilisations Noires—was inaugurated in December 2018 as a flagship China-Africa cultural cooperation project, constructed with Chinese assistance. Since its opening, it has distinguished itself as a pan-African institution dedicated to conserving heritage, promoting academic research, curating exhibitions, and advancing public education. It has rapidly assumed the role of a continental landmark in cultural discourse and historical reclamation.
Visitors entering the museum encounter an experience that is unmistakably African in its narrative direction. The thematic organisation of the exhibits—ranging from The Cradle of Humanity to Caravans and Canoes and Africa Today—weaves a comprehensive tapestry of the continent’s journey. The collection spans millennia, from prehistoric rock art to traditional crafts, colonial-era relics, and contemporary artistic expressions. It also illuminates the histories and contributions of African diasporic communities in Latin America and the Caribbean, grounding the museum’s vision in a truly global Black identity.
Seven-year-old Mamadou Diouf, one of the many young attendees during the International Museum Day activities, was captivated by the museum’s celebrated mask gallery. “It tells stories about our ancestors and spirits,” he said, visibly inspired. His father remarked that the visit was a powerful moment for Mamadou, who had previously only encountered such symbols in books.
One of the museum’s most significant artefacts is the 19th-century sword of Omar Tall, the revered West African Muslim leader who resisted French colonial expansion. The sword, seized during French military campaigns and held in the Musée de l’Armée in Paris for decades, was returned to Senegal in 2019 under a long-term loan arrangement. Now displayed in Dakar, it serves as both a poignant symbol of resistance and a cornerstone of the growing movement for the restitution of African cultural property.
Since French President Emmanuel Macron’s 2017 Ouagadougou address, in which he acknowledged the legitimacy of African demands for the return of looted cultural objects, there has been a marked shift in France’s restitution policy. Senegal was among the first nations to submit a formal request. The Museum of Black Civilisations has publicly affirmed its role as a recipient and guardian of returned artefacts, with plans underway to establish a dedicated exhibition space that contextualises and interprets their historical and cultural significance.
As the museum continues to challenge Eurocentric frameworks and reshape historical narratives, it also serves as a site of soft diplomacy and cultural partnership. China, which not only financed the construction but continues to support operations through maintenance, staff training, and technical expertise, sees the museum as a model for sustainable cultural cooperation.
“We are committed to retelling the story of African civilisation from our own perspective,” Ly emphasised. “This museum belongs not only to Senegal but to the African continent and the global Black community. It embodies cultural dignity, scholarly endeavour, and artistic brilliance.”
Looking ahead, the museum aspires to deepen collaborations in digitisation, conservation science, and intercultural dialogue—positioning itself as a nexus of heritage preservation and global cooperation.
