This morning I met with my friend to visit the Royal Museum for Central Africa in Brussels. Firstly, the museum grounds are lush and expansive with a sprawling lake and other water features. So leave some extra time for exploring the garden before heading into the building! The exhibition itself focuses on the Congo, a former Belgian colony. The sphere of influence however (especially regarding to biological research) extends to the whole Congo River basin, Middle Africa, East Africa and West Africa, but tries to integrate Africa as a whole. Intended originally as a colonial museum, from 1960 it became more focused on ethnography and anthropology. Like in most museums, there is a research and public exhibit department.
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| Entrance |
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| Building Side-view |
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| Grounds |
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| Hall of Museum |
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| African Jewelry |
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| Traditional Instruments |
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| African Mask |
There was also an exhibition featuring live spiders and other arachnids. Although the success of their camouflage made me a little nervous.. I was certain one of the critters had escaped when I couldn't find him anywhere in the perspex display case.
From mid 2013, the Museum will be closed for renovation work (including the construction new exhibition space) which is expected to last until 2015 so make sure to fit in a visit soon!
Afterwards we went for hot chocolate near the town hall in Woluwe St Pierre but if you're feeling a little more adventurous, a walk in the surrounding woodlands would probably make a splendid afternoon.
A bientot,
Niamh
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