The Académie des Beaux-Arts is one of the most important art institutions on the continent, founded in 1943 and still training a new generation of Congolese painters, sculptors, and graphic artists. The school has produced artists whose work hangs in collections in Paris, Brussels, and New York, and the contemporary Congolese art scene that has drawn international gallery interest in recent years owes much of its foundation to what was built here.
Visitors can sometimes view exhibitions and student work in the gallery spaces. The atmosphere is working and creative rather than hushed and institutional -- you may find students at easels in the courtyard or hear debate about a new installation. It is worth calling ahead or asking your hotel to confirm visiting hours, which can be irregular. Even a brief visit gives you a sense of Kinshasa's creative life that goes well beyond the music the city is famous for.