Africa

Africa – This is a name that gives rise to numerous associations. But what is really behind all this? This exhibition of the Übersee-Museum highlights a multifarious continent that reveals new cognitions, and also, occasionally, astounding insights. Valuable originals from the museum’s collection, different forms of media, impressive dioramas and models offer diverse approaches to discover both present-day and historical Africa.

Life in the vibrating metropolis of Nairobi as well as the fascinating natural areas and Africa’s abundance of natural resources; the eventful history of the continent and not least also the evolutionary process of our species turning into humans are emphasized in main thematic areas. However, on the journey through these five spheres, there is even more to be discovered. The works of contemporary African artists unveil new perspectives and contribute to the exhibition.

A free media guide is available for the exhibit depot. You can use it during your visit with free wifi in the museum or online:

To the online media guide

A media guide for children is also available for the exhibition, you can use it online or on the devices you can rent at the lobby:

To the online media guide (children’s version)
Sculpture of a person hung with locks and other objects
Ganbada-Telefon-Bocio – Vodun priest power figure CC BY-SA 4.0 Übersee-Museum Bremen, photo: Matthias Haase

Glass showcase with headdress and cape and left and right painted pictures

Headdress with lion's mane and cloak with lion's mane and fur from Abyssinia, today Ethiopia | CC BY-SA 4.0 Übersee-Museum Bremen, photo: Volker Beinhorn

View of a café in the exhibition with chairs and people

Small break in the café of the exhibition "Africa" | CC BY-SA 4.0 Übersee-Museum Bremen, photo: Matthias Haase

Plastic cars on a map showing Nairobi

Kenya has around 160,000 kilometers of road - around 11,000 of which are paved. | CC BY-SA 4.0 Übersee-Museum Bremen, photo: Matthias Haase

Taxidermy of cheetah in front of wall painted as sky and branches

Animals and their habitat: cheetah in a diorama from the 1970s | CC BY-SA 4.0 Übersee-Museum Bremen, photo: Matthias Haase

Man in front of a display case with a beaded figure

Discover details: beaded figure of Bamum from Cameroon | CC BY-SA 4.0 Übersee-Museum Bremen, photo: Matthias Haase

Two people looking at black and white photographs on a wall

"Hell Loops: Mining Then and Now" - historical images and current footage compiled by Sammy Baloji. | CC BY-SA 4.0 Übersee-Museum Bremen, photo: Matthias Haase

Tree and figures in artificial environment

Small diorama of humanization: a group Sahelanthropus tschadensis about seven million years ago in Central Africa | CC BY-SA 4.0 Übersee-Museum Bremen, photo: Matthias Haase

Two taxidermied desert foxes in a diorama ambush a taxidermied desert jumping mouse

Desert foxes, also called fennecs, on the hunt: the large ears help to dissipate heat and locate sounds | CC BY-SA 4.0 Übersee-Museum Bremen, photo: Matthias Haase

Man in front of a display with suspended cars, in the background a prepared dromedary

Whether by car, train, plane or ship: this installation gives facts about transport in Africa | CC BY-SA 4.0 Übersee-Museum Bremen, photo: Matthias Haase

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