NATIONAL MUSEUM OF CHAD

Installed in a new building in the Amriguibe district, the National Museum was inaugurated with great fanfare at the end of 2010. While the collections, moved from the city center to their new conservation and exhibition site, have remained virtually unchanged, the museology has evolved. It is divided into seven "pavilions" (Islamic heritage, prehistory, Sao art archaeology, history, economics, folk arts and traditions and paleontology). The second floor of the building, bathed in sunlight from the openwork dome, is dedicated to paleontology. Featuring numerous explanatory panels, this pavilion showcases some of the major discoveries made during excavations by Chadian and foreign scientists: the skull of a 7-million-year-old Nile crocodile, the dental row of a hipparion (fossil equidae)... The emphasis here is on fossilization processes, Chadian fossil sites such as Toros Menalla, where the Toumaï skull was discovered, and Koro Toro, where Abel's mandible was exhumed, the dating of terrains, the presentation of mega-lake Chad and the flora and fauna of these remote times... The highlight of the second floor is undoubtedly the copy of the Toumaï skull, displayed in an adjoining room devoted exclusively to it. The first floor takes us on a journey through Chadian history, with explanatory cartouches dedicated to the introduction of Islam to Chad, the formation and functioning of kingdoms and sultanates (Kanem Bornou, Ouaddaï, Baguirmi...), and notabilities (such as Rabah)... Numerous objects are on display, including a lôh, a carved wooden slate for learning the Koran; a mouslaï, a tanned sheepskin used as a prayer mat; an astonishing Sao funerary urn; a balafon; and beautiful Ouagats, the amulets that nomads attach to the necks of their dromedaries to protect them from bad luck. We recommend that you visit the museum for the first time to make an appointment with a specialized guide, who will be delighted to show you all the riches of this exceptional museum, which is so large that it is difficult to visit it alone without missing one or other essential piece. All you have to do is go to the reception desk and ask for an appointment, depending on availability, and your visit will be all the more rewarding for it. Don't forget to leave a generous tip if you're satisfied with your guide!