Buildings under construction and a collection in the process of being digitized… The National Museum of Guinea is undergoing a complete metamorphosis. After decades of neglect, the transitional authorities made the decision to modernize this emblematic cultural institution of Conakry. A major project has been launched to restore the museum to all its splendor and enable it to once again play a key role in the preservation and promotion of Guinean culture.
Under the leadership of Hamza Kaba, the director of the museum, the work is progressing at a steady pace. The old, dilapidated buildings were demolished to make way for modern construction. The future exhibition hall will cover 800 square meters, three times more than the old structure. The development of the museum as a whole represents an investment of around one million euros. But that’s not all, the National Museum of Guinea is also looking to the future by beginning a process of digitizing its collection.
Digitization will allow the museum’s works to be exhibited online, creating a virtual museum. A French company specializing in the digitization of cultural heritage, Archéovision, was chosen to carry out this task. French experts were dispatched to the site to transmit their know-how to Guinean professionals from the Ministry of Culture. The techniques used range from 2D photography to 3D scanning, allowing each object to be precisely documented.
This digitalization initiative is of paramount importance. It will not only promote works by making them accessible to as many people as possible on the Internet, but also facilitate their study by researchers around the world. By setting up a virtual portal bringing together digitized works, the National Museum of Guinea will be able to highlight the cultural richness of Guinea and promote the restitution of Guinean works which are currently in foreign museums.
The Minister of Culture, Alpha Soumah, welcomes this major step forward in the preservation of Guinean cultural heritage. He emphasizes that digitalization will highlight Guinea’s cultural assets and facilitate dialogue between the country’s cultural institutions and those abroad. In addition, he announced that the renovation of the National Museum of Guinea is only a first step. A project to build a museum of civilizations in the Koloma district is also underway to offer visitors another space dedicated to the cultural wealth of Guinea.
Thus, the National Museum of Guinea is preparing to take on a new appearance, both modern and future-oriented.. Thanks to the renovation of the buildings and the digitization of the works, the museum will regain its rightful place as guardian of Guinean culture and will contribute to the promotion and restitution of its artistic heritage.