02 July 2008
The small Western African country has seen on its territory more tribes and civilisations than many others, making it the perfect destination for a clear insight into the history of Africa and its interactions with the first European settlers.
The first signs of civilisation found in the Gambia area date back to around 5,500 years ago and fragments of pottery from that area have since been collected by the Gambia National Museum.
The museum is located in capital Banjul and gives access to major testaments of the Smiling Coast's history to visitors from all over the world.
The ethnography section focuses on traditions and artefacts from tribes of the Gambia, including the Mandinka, Fula and Wolof tribes, while the archaeology section analyses the evolution of humankind from the Palaeolithic period to post-Independent Gambia after 1965.
The museum is open every day from 9am to 6pm except from Friday to Sunday when the doors shut at 5pm.
First opened in 1985, the Gambia National Museum is a true testimony of the Gambia's past along the Gambia River which drew the attention of the Portuguese from the 15th century, followed by the French and the English, all looking for a strategic base for their slave trade.
