Benguela – Around nine thousand pieces on display at the National Archeology Museum, located in Benguela, are at risk of deteriorating, due to the poor state of conservation of the property , ANGOP learned this Tuesday.

The building where it operates is a work from the 17th/18th centuries, where slaves were temporarily stored before being taken to America. It occupies a perimeter of eight thousand square meters and was built of limestone blocks, with solid iron gates and railings.

After the end of the slave trade, the building belonged to the Angolan Customs. In 1976, the National Archeology Museum was created in this same building.

Collection of the Lobito Ethnography Museum under inventory

Technicians at the Regional Ethnography Museum in the city of Lobito, Benguela province, are updating the 1,513 pieces in their collection, ANGOP learned this Tuesday.

According to the director of that institution, João Luís, the work is justified by the fact that the last inventory was carried out around two years ago.

The Ethnography museum has a permanent exhibition of pieces representing hunting, agriculture, masks, percussion instruments, representing various regions of the country.

Speaking on the occasion of World Museum Day, João Luís revealed that the institution is open to those people who want to offer a piece to reinforce its collection.

"Let's study it and frame it and everyone wins", he emphasized.

He lamented, however, the lack of at least one technician to restore the pieces and also the majority of employees who are of retirement age.

He explained that the institution currently has 12 qualified technicians, over 15 years old, but runs the risk of being left with just four. As for visits, he reported that of the approximately 50 visitors/day, before Covid-19, mostly students, currently one or two people appear.

As for foreigners, he only remembered the passengers on the tourist train from South Africa last year. Referring to the infrastructure, with some parts visibly degraded, the museum director stated that the external image has already been improved, thanks to the support of some private partners. The Lobito Ethnographic Museum has a physical structure dating back to the 1930s, but was opened on November 11, 1978.

Source: Angop