National Museum of Niger (Musée National du Niger)
National Museum of Niger (Musée National du Niger)
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This art museum, a repository of Nigerian culture, also contains a library.
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3.0
97 reviews
Excellent
12
Very good
24
Average
30
Poor
17
Terrible
14
ritmusbe
Ghent, Belgium1 contribution
Jan 2020
Nice place and made for tourists. The museum itself is a bit boring, and if you're into animal rights you shouldn’t go to the zoo connected with it.
There is a nice market where you can buy some souvenirs and hand made masks and textile.
There is a nice market where you can buy some souvenirs and hand made masks and textile.
Written 12 December 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
saraisatchi
Albuquerque, NM3 contributions
The Museum is a must-see for any tourist, mostly because there are very few other tourist attractions in Niamey. There are interesting displays about Niger culture, model houses, and sad looking animals in small cages. In the middle of the Museum grounds is an artisan market, which offers good quality silver, leather, wood, and cloth, and shouldn't be missed when souvenir shopping. The restaurant has been recently redone and is said to have good food.
Other places for souvenir shopping include the shops in Chateau 1, the stands along the road opposite La Cloche, and the Wadata Artisinal Center.
Other places for souvenir shopping include the shops in Chateau 1, the stands along the road opposite La Cloche, and the Wadata Artisinal Center.
Written 8 September 2004
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ben
Erbil, Iraq65 contributions
Dec 2016 • Friends
I read reviews before going here and they said it's best to not go to the zoo because of conditions, animals are in small cages, etc. but I still went to the zoo to check it out.. big mistake. Do not go to the zoo portion of the zoo here. You will most likely regret going like we did. It made us feel sick and sad and other negative feelings.. Everything else about the museum is worth seeing, especially the artisans workshop area and the rooms with different kinds of dress- that was fun to see.
Also, if anyone starts guiding you and taking you around the museum/zoo in any kind of an official guide role, make sure to establish the amount that you are going to pay them before you start the tour. If you don't establish the price beforehand they may try to bilk you out of more cash than what the tour was actually worth.
Also, if anyone starts guiding you and taking you around the museum/zoo in any kind of an official guide role, make sure to establish the amount that you are going to pay them before you start the tour. If you don't establish the price beforehand they may try to bilk you out of more cash than what the tour was actually worth.
Written 9 September 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
OnwardTraveller
Southampton, UK1,232 contributions
Sept 2022 • Solo
This is unlike any museum you will visit anywhere. Part history, part science, part economy, part artisan manufacturing and sale, part (horrible) old-style zoo. But we’ll worthy of a couple of hours of your time: just manage your expectations based on where you are.
Written 3 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Canuckker
Montreal, Canada156 contributions
Oct 2015 • Solo
I went to this place and followed the advice I saw from an earlier review, asking if all the exhibits were open, and was told that they were. To my surprise, only three were, all of the larger buildings were closed. The animals looked like they hadn't eaten in weeks. I complained to the original person I asked that had told me everything was opened, and he told me to speak with the director. To make a long story short, after going around the grounds 4 or 5 times and being drenched in sweat, someone brought me to director, who was sitting on his duff in an air-conditioned office watching France24. He told me that someone was sick, another guy was praying, etc. He finally gave me back my entrance fee (only US$3, but there was a principal here) but had no interest in listening to my comments about how sad the museum was. There were plenty of people sitting around, they didn't seem concerned about the closed visits. Nobody cares about this place, you shouldn't waste your time to visit the sad exhibits.
Written 21 October 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
UK_Gator_67
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates331 contributions
Aug 2016 • Friends
It's #2 of 5 things to do in Niamey because there just isn't anything to do in Niamey, not because it's such a great experience. But as boredom sets in deeper and deeper one becomes willing to do anything, and that's how I ended up at the national museum. Entry price wasn't bad,1500 CFA as I recall. While this isn't a review of the co-located zoo, since it's the same entry ticket for both I will add this warning: if you like animals and don't like to see them in abject misery, don't even look in the general direction of the zoo (more like "animal concentration camp").
The museum itself isn't bad, and I'll give them credit for having tried at least. Some building aren't open but the ones that are house collections of tribal Nigerien dress and artifacts, as well as displays of traditional life and even a fake archaeological site showing how things would have been found in situ. Another display (my favourite) was of male and female mannequins dressed in traditional attire of the main tribes of Niger. That was easily the best part of the museum and where I spent more time. Overall, you'd only need about 30-45 minutes to see everything unless you read every single information card (which are all in French).
The museum itself isn't bad, and I'll give them credit for having tried at least. Some building aren't open but the ones that are house collections of tribal Nigerien dress and artifacts, as well as displays of traditional life and even a fake archaeological site showing how things would have been found in situ. Another display (my favourite) was of male and female mannequins dressed in traditional attire of the main tribes of Niger. That was easily the best part of the museum and where I spent more time. Overall, you'd only need about 30-45 minutes to see everything unless you read every single information card (which are all in French).
Written 10 August 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
pwm1031
Nashville, TN280 contributions
Feb 2015 • Family
I would say that one's appreciation for the Musee will depend on the perspective one has when entering the gate. We live here and knew we were going to an African zoo/museum. As such, we had expectations on par for an African zoo/museum. You can't expect a Western/European experience in an African context.
We took our entire family (three children included) and my sister-in-law and her friend to visit. We were impressed by the number of animal exhibits (hippos, lions, crocodiles, hyenas, ostriches, and many more), the dinosaur area, and the artisans section. We also enjoyed the indoor displays of artifacts from Nigerien history. Could things be revamped, yes, but it is Niger.
If you are looking for touristy activities in Niger, I would recommend a trip to the Musee. It is inexpensive and parking is available just down the street on the opposite side from the Musee. You will be approached to hire a guide at the gate, but you don't need one, unless you just want someone to better organize your experience. Also, it is best to go during a cooler time of the day.
We took our entire family (three children included) and my sister-in-law and her friend to visit. We were impressed by the number of animal exhibits (hippos, lions, crocodiles, hyenas, ostriches, and many more), the dinosaur area, and the artisans section. We also enjoyed the indoor displays of artifacts from Nigerien history. Could things be revamped, yes, but it is Niger.
If you are looking for touristy activities in Niger, I would recommend a trip to the Musee. It is inexpensive and parking is available just down the street on the opposite side from the Musee. You will be approached to hire a guide at the gate, but you don't need one, unless you just want someone to better organize your experience. Also, it is best to go during a cooler time of the day.
Written 19 May 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mrchubby63
freelance12 contributions
Nov 2016 • Couples
Firstly, its safe. Its a weirdly set out place but the people are friendly and in obvious need of your patronage. There's a sad little zoo of the Victorian style where the animal is nearly bigger than the cage. If you can deal with that then there's an odd series of buildings housing the nations heritage. I have to say, you'd think this is where Aid agencies would jump in to salvage and restore a cultures pride. Anyway, there are a few static exhibitions which are interesting if you're a history fan. Remembering that Niger has had a blend of amazing cultures, both past and present, you can become immersed in the exotic imaginings that these exhibits create. This is definitely old school museum style. Kids will get bored and want to run off and torture the monkeys (careful kids, monkeys can throw poop).
There are artisans on site selling their wares and there certainly is some nice stuff if not overpriced compared to other markets. But remember they have rent to pay.
The dinosaurs are something else. Niger has an amazing history of finding dinosaur bones out near Agadez and the exhibits reflect this. A crocodile that would use todays examples to pick its teeth and two other awe inspiring skeletons remind us of the good deal we have living in this millennium. Plan to go early. It gets hot
There are artisans on site selling their wares and there certainly is some nice stuff if not overpriced compared to other markets. But remember they have rent to pay.
The dinosaurs are something else. Niger has an amazing history of finding dinosaur bones out near Agadez and the exhibits reflect this. A crocodile that would use todays examples to pick its teeth and two other awe inspiring skeletons remind us of the good deal we have living in this millennium. Plan to go early. It gets hot
Written 22 May 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Evin Sunassee
Mauritius14 contributions
Mar 2016 • Business
The zoo is a really sad place for the animal there. They are in really small cage and the bones are left in the cage. It smell bad as the cage are not being cleaned at all. I guess that some might be infected as well. The animal do not have any energy at all and are disinterested in everything. They would be better in bigger and cleaner cages or left in their own natural habitat. Nice local things can be bought in the museum if you bargain well.
Written 18 March 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Betty A
Toronto, Canada160 contributions
I went during a business trip to Niger, paid the fee and entered. The animals are in a very poor location that I couldn't even visit most of them. Even when they charged us at the door, the museum was closed. It was a saturday morning when it was supposed to be open. So when you go, please ask in the entrance if the museum is open, if the displays are available to be seen.
Written 2 May 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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