The National Museum of Mauritania in central Nouakchott holds collections covering the country's prehistoric, archaeological, and ethnographic heritage. The prehistoric section includes tools and rock art from the Saharan interior; the ethnographic galleries cover the material culture of Mauritania's nomadic Moor and sub-Saharan communities — tents, saddles, jewellery, musical instruments, and the wooden writing boards used in Quranic education.
The museum is modest in scale and not always well-maintained, but it provides the best available introduction to a country whose culture and history are poorly documented in English. The traditional tent on display in the courtyard is particularly instructive. Opening hours can be unreliable; morning visits are recommended.