National Museum of Lubumbashi

The DRC's best collection of Katanga archaeology and traditional ethnography

The National Museum of Lubumbashi holds the most significant collection of Katanga's traditional art, archaeology, and ethnographic objects in the country. The exhibits cover the pre-colonial cultures of the Luba, Lunda, Tabwa, and other peoples of the Katanga region — sculpture, masks, regalia, and everyday objects that document a richly varied set of traditions.

The building dates from the colonial era and the collection has expanded unevenly since independence, but it remains a valuable institution and one of the few museums functioning properly in the DRC. Staff can usually provide context for the main exhibits; English is spoken at varying levels. Give it at least an hour, more if you are interested in central African art.

things to do museum
A story
The museum's collection was assembled largely during the Belgian colonial period, when ethnographers catalogued Katanga's many ethnic groups — including the Luba, Lunda, and Tabwa peoples — with systematic thoroughness. The colonial logic was documentation and control; the result is an archive of traditional material culture that would otherwise have been largely lost.