Best Museums In Cameroon

Most museums in Cameroon are permanent exhibitions of traditional artefacts that tell stories and display the cultural identity of the country’s 250-plus tribes. The Grasslands in the west of the country, with their tradition of talented craftspeople, dominate these collections, but there’s a lot more here that’ll fascinate you. From secret messages passed on by ancestors to modern tools of expression, let’s take a look at Cameroon’s top ten museums.

1. doual’art

Art Gallery, Museum

Urban African art is at the centre of doualarts projects

doual’art is a social lab that supports artists in researching and creating works around urban African life. This project operates from Cameroon’s economic capital, Douala, and has been running since 1991. In addition to its exhibitions, it organises workshops and art residences.

2. Bandjoun Station

Museum

Bandjoun Station is an ambitious project founded by Cameroonian painter Barthélémy Toguo. From international arts collaborations to agricultural ventures, this one-of-kind museum is definitely a unique experience. Its location along the Bamenda-Bafoussam-Yaoundé highway makes it an easy visit for people travelling between these towns.

3. The Babungo Museum

Art Gallery, Museum

The Fon of Babungo oversees a collection of art that has been handed down through generations

The rulers of the Babungo Kingdom in the Northwest Region of Cameroon have always been gifted sculptors who’ve recorded their history through art. The bronze statues are said to be among the best in the Grasslands. Plastic art has also been introduced into the collection.

5. Mankon Palace And Museum

Museum

Close to 200 objects are displayed at the Mankon Museum, which is found inside the Fon’s Palace. The palace also promotes art and cultural exchanges. Don’t miss the headgear, among them the Fon’s German helmet and armour.

6. Baham Museum

Museum

Maybe if you listen carefully you’ll hear messages from the ancestors of the Baham people through the art they created. These messages are said to have a bearing on the future. The objects show their history, secret societies, religion, rulers, their use of textiles and various aspects of their social life.

7. Foumban Royal Museum

Museum

The new Foumban Royal Museum announces its impressive history from a distance: it’s built in the shape of its symbolic two-headed snake with a giant spider over it. Visitors can trace the history of this kingdom through the eyes of its philosopher king, who created his own alphabet and started a religion that brought together aspects of Islam, Christianity and Animism. Foumban is one of the oldest cities in Cameroon. You won’t be going back with any of the 12,500 pieces of art, but you can buy artefacts to take home with you along the street.

8. Douala Maritime Museum

Museum

The Douala Maritime Museum exhibits photos, sculptures, maps, paintings, videos, documents, archives and multimedia animations. Exhibitions from Cameroon’s port cities of Limbe, Douala and Kribi helps visitors understand how the country has been shaped by shipping. The museum has a navigation simulator that will be fascinating for navy students and professionals.

9. Musée Des Civilisations de Dschang

Museum

This museum is a collection of art that helps us understand traditional Cameroonian societies. Its exhibition displays art from kings that are judged to have possessed great knowledge, held great power and presided over culturally rich societies. The colourful building is home to over 356 Bamilike artefacts and hosts concerts and cultural exchanges.

10. The National Museum, Yaoundé

Museum

This beautiful villa with a lavish yard is Cameroon’s former presidential palace. It is located at the centre of the capital and is easy to access from most places in town. The collection of art, handcrafted tools, masks, accessories, tribal objects, instruments and paintings come from all over the country, and it has some of Cameroon’s best bronze and wood statues.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.