Musee des Civilisations de Cote d′Ivoire
The Museum of Civilizations of Côte d'Ivoire, is a state museum, dependent on the Ministry of Culture and La Francophonie. It is located in Abidjan, the economic capital, more precisely in the commune of Plateau, in the corner formed by Nangui Abrogoua and Carde boulevards. Built on an area of 2 hectares, the Museum of Civilizations of Côte d'Ivoire is bounded in the East by the Administrative City, in the West by the General Staff of the Armies (Camp Gallieni) and in the North by the Library National.
Historical
The Ivory Coast Museum of Civilization was originally a craft center created by the colonial administration. It is with the aim of highlighting the artisanal productions and of preserving the best samples that Hubert Deschamps then Governor will create in 1942 this center which he makes animate by the artist Pierre Mauze.
Wood sculptors, shoemakers, potters, weavers and bronze founders were then installed. In 1943 this activity was extended by the creation of a branch of the I.F.A.N (French Institute of Black Africa), the chief place of which was in Dakar, Senegal.
In 1944 Jean-Luc Tournier, in charge of managing this branch called CENTRIFAN, put more emphasis on the acquisition and conservation of the greatest number of authentic pieces. For this, the center frees artisans from the main building which now becomes the exhibition hall.
In 1945, the center was extended with the construction of the U-shaped building which now houses the administration and part of the reserves.
In 1947, the ethnologist Bohumil Holas became the first head of the institution until his disappearance in 1979. The institution will undergo changes:
- from 1943 to 1961, the center retained the name of CENTRIFAN;
- from 1961 to 1972 it took the name of center of human sciences;
- in 1972, it became the National Museum of Abidjan;
- in 1994 it took the name of Museum of Civilizations of Côte d'Ivoire (M.C.C.I) on the initiative of Professor Georges Niangoran Bouah.
- Since May 2006, the museum has been managed by a team headed by Mrs. Silvie MEMEL KASSI.