The Royal Museum for Central Africa (RMCA), created from the colonial section of the world exhibition of 1897, has become an international scientific research institute, a museum famed for its exhibitions, and an intercultural meeting place.

The Museum holds an exceptional and world-renowned patrimony which, besides ethnographic collections, the full archives of Stanley and the biggest xylarium in Europe, contains 10 million zoological specimens. The museum is currently working on a number of digitisation projects to open the collection to a broad public.

Research in the areas of zoology, geology, cultural anthropology, history, forestry and agriculture actively add to our knowledge and the sustainable development of Africa. Every year, hundreds of African scientists and students come to the museum for work training or teaching practice, or for help and support in writing their doctoral thesis.

The RMCA is an important partner in Belgian cooperation development. The main elements of the projects are raising awareness among the Belgian public, cooperation with African institutions and the dissemination of knowledge. Varied exhibitions and a broad range of educational and cultural activities are helping to raise the general public’s interest in Africa and encourage intercultural dialogue.

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