The National Ethnographic Museum (Museu Nacional de Etnografia) is Guinea-Bissau's main museum, housed in a former colonial villa on the western side of the city. The collection covers the country's extraordinary ethnic diversity — Guinea-Bissau has more than twenty distinct ethnic groups, each with its own traditions, crafts, and religious practices. Exhibits include masks, musical instruments, textiles, agricultural tools, and objects related to traditional animist ceremonies.
The museum is small but the quality of the objects is high, and it gives essential context for understanding the country beyond Bissau. Staff are generally willing to explain exhibits in French or Portuguese. Opening hours can be unpredictable; arriving in the morning on a weekday is the most reliable strategy.