National Museum of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
 | This article reads like a press release or a news article and may be largely based on routine coverage. (July 2023) |
Musée national de la République démocratique du Congo | |
 2019 street view | |
 Location on map of central Kinshasa | |
| Established | 23 November 2019 |
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| Location | Kinshasa, DR Congo |
| Coordinates | 4°20′06″S 15°17′58″E / 4.3351°S 15.2994°E |
| Type | Ethnography and History museum |
| Director | Henry Bondjoko |
| Architect | Junglim Architecture |
| Website | Facebook page in French |
The National Museum of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (French: Musée national de la République démocratique du Congo, or MNRDC) is a museum for the cultural history of the numerous ethnic groups and historical epochs of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the capital Kinshasa. It was officially handed over to the Congolese government by representatives of the Republic of Korea in June 2019.[1]
The construction cost of $21 million USD was funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). The building was built after a construction period of 33 months in cooperation between experts from the Congo and South Korea under modern aspects (locally available construction materials, use of solar energy, natural air circulation with only partial use of air conditioning, etc.) and represents the largest South Korean cultural policy investment in Central Africa to date.[2]
In three public exhibition halls of 6,000 m2, 12,000 objects can be presented in their cultural context. The majority of the holdings of the Institute of National Museums of the Congo (Institut des Musées Nationaux du Congo), however, must be stored in depots. Unlike in the past, when the director and scientific cooperation had been provided for decades by Belgian scientists from the Africa Museum in Brussels, Congolese experts have now been trained in South Korea.[3] Thus, the Congolese cultural politicians have put their international cooperation on a broader basis than before.[4]
The museum was opened to the public on 23 November 2019 by the President of the DR Congo, Félix Tshisekedi. Referring to recent requests for the repatriation of African cultural heritage from museums in Europe, Tshisekedi said: "We support the return of the scattered cultural heritage, especially in Belgium. The idea is there, but it needs to be done gradually. Of course it is a Congolese heritage, one day it will be necessary that this heritage is returned, but it has to be done in an organized way. It requires means for the upkeep. One thing is to ask for their return, but another is to conserve it."[5][6]
See also
[edit]
- Culture of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
- National Museum of Lubumbashi
- List of museums in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Further reading
[edit]- Kim, Kwang-Su (2022). "Contextualising Historical and Cultural Identities With Exhibitions of the New National Museum in the Democratic Republic of Congo". Modern Africa: Politics, History and Society. 8 (2): 25–59. doi:10.26806/modafr.v8i2.328. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
References
[edit]- ^ "National Museum of DRC | MoMAA | African Modern Online Art Gallery & Lifestyle National Museum of DRC". MoMAA | African Modern Online Art Gallery & Lifestyle. Retrieved 2020-08-19.
- ^ "Digitalcongo.net | La RDC dotée d'un musée national moderne grâce à l'appui financier de la Corée du Sud". www.digitalcongo.net. Retrieved 2019-07-17.
- ^ "In Congo, a new national museum renews quest to reclaim history". Christian Science Monitor. 2018-04-27. ISSN 0882-7729. Retrieved 2019-07-17.
- ^ "Le Congo va aussi avoir son Musée de l'Afrique". L'Echo (in French). 2018-12-18. Retrieved 2019-07-17.
- ^ "Inauguration du MNRDC: Félix Tshisekedi favorable à la restitution du patrimoine culturel congolais par la Belgique". Politico.cd (in French). 2019-11-23. Retrieved 2019-11-24.
- ^ "Democratic Republic of Congo to inaugurate national museum". BBC News. 23 November 2019.
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