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| Museum of Cape Verde | |
|---|---|
| Name | Museum of Cape Verde |
| Native name | Museu de Cabo Verde |
| Established | 1990 |
| Location | Praça Alexandre Albuquerque, Praia, Santiago (Cape Verde) |
| Type | National museum |
| Collections | Archaeology, Ethnography, Natural history, Decorative arts |
| Director | António Monteiro |
| Website | official site |
Museum of Cape Verde is the principal national museum located in Praia on Santiago (Cape Verde), dedicated to the preservation and presentation of Cape Verdean Creole heritage, pre-colonial archaeology, and colonial-era artifacts. The institution serves as a nexus connecting material culture from Boa Vista (island), Santo Antão, São Vicente (Cape Verde), and Fogo (island) with scholarly networks such as the International Council of Museums, UNESCO, and regional museums in Guinea-Bissau and São Tomé and Príncipe. Its mandate intersects with historical narratives related to the Transatlantic slave trade, the era of Portuguese Empire, and the independence movement culminating in the Carnation Revolution and the founding of the Republic of Cape Verde.
The museum was founded in the aftermath of independence debates influenced by figures like Amílcar Cabral, and by cultural policies modelled on institutions such as the National Museum of Ethnology (Portugal), the Museu Nacional de Belas Artes (Brazil), and the Musée du quai Branly. Early collections derived from archaeological surveys of sites associated with prehistoric settlement and contact zones researched by expeditions from the Institute of Archaeology (Portugal), the Museu Nacional de Arqueologia (Portugal), and collaborative fieldwork with teams from University of Lisbon, University of Coimbra, and École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales. During the 1990s the museum expanded following conservation projects funded through partnerships with UNESCO World Heritage Centre, the European Union, and bilateral aid from the Government of Portugal and cultural foundations such as the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. Political shifts including the establishment of multi-party politics under leaders from Movement for Democracy (Cape Verde) influenced institutional reforms and public access policies.
Permanent displays include artifact groups from maritime archaeology associated with shipwrecks documented by researchers from Instituto Hidrográfico (Portugal) and collections of faunal remains aligned with studies published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the Royal Society. Ethnographic galleries present textile traditions including pieces linked to musicians and cultural figures such as Cesária Évora and craft objects from trading networks connecting Senegal, Cape Verde Islands, and Guinea-Bissau. Historical exhibits cover the colonial administration period, references to treaties involving the Portuguese Cortes and the Treaty of Tordesillas context, and displays on migration narratives that intersect with the African diaspora in connection to emigration waves to New England, Lisbon, and Paris. Natural history cases feature endemic flora and fauna studies coordinated with the Government of Cape Verde Ministry of Environment and research projects from University of Cape Verde.
Housed in a restored 19th-century colonial building on Praia Plateau, the structure exhibits architectural features paralleling examples at Fortaleza Real de São Filipe and townhouses found in Mindelo developed during the height of the Portuguese Colonial Empire. Restoration campaigns referenced conservation charters such as the Venice Charter and were supervised by architects trained at Universidade Técnica de Lisboa and conservationists connected to the ICOMOS network. The site includes climate-controlled galleries, a research library modelled on collections in the Biblioteca Nacional de Portugal, and adaptive reuse elements comparable to renovations at the Museum of Lisbon.
The museum operates a conservation laboratory that collaborates with specialists from National Museum of Natural History (France), universities including King's College London and Universidade do Porto, and regional heritage programmes linked to African World Heritage Fund. Research priorities encompass maritime archaeology, osteological analysis relevant to studies by the Royal Anthropological Institute, textile conservation drawing on the expertise of the Victoria and Albert Museum, and documentation projects using standards from the International Council on Archives. Ongoing projects involve cataloguing colonial-era archives, digitization partnerships with the Digital Public Library of America-style networks, and comparative studies of Atlantic island ecologies.
The institution runs public programs modeled on outreach frameworks from Smithsonian Institution and Museum of Anthropology (UBC), including school tours aligned with curricula at University of Cape Verde, workshops in traditional music linked to practitioners influenced by Batuque (music) and morna traditions popularized by Eugénio Tavares, and seasonal festivals coordinated with municipal events in Praia. Programs include lecture series featuring scholars from ISCTE – University Institute of Lisbon and community-driven exhibitions developed with local associations such as cultural groups from Sotavento Islands and Barlavento Islands.
Administratively, the museum is overseen by the Ministry of Culture (Cape Verde) and governed by a board including representatives from national institutions like the Direcção-Geral do Património Cultural and university partners. Funding streams combine state allocations, grants from entities including the European Commission cultural programmes, support from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, and project-based aid from multilateral donors such as UNDP and FAO for environmental components. Collaborative funding agreements have been executed with bilateral cultural agencies including Camões – Instituto da Cooperação e da Língua.
Located at Rua Serpa Pinto near Planalto, the museum is accessible via the Praia International Airport corridor and local transit hubs connecting to ferry services at Praia Port. Typical visitor services include guided tours, a museum shop offering publications in partnership with Imprensa Nacional-Casa da Moeda (Portugal), and educational resources in Portuguese and Cape Verdean Creole. Opening hours and ticketing follow seasonal schedules coordinated with national holidays such as Independence Day (Cape Verde).
Category:Museums in Cape Verde