Tanje Village Museum, West Coast Division, Gambia

5nl-marielle-nl 5:00 PM Apr 30, 2022

Nice for learning mire about the culture
This museum is nice for knowing a bit more about the Gambian culture, nature, animals, instruments. I got a tour around, which i liked. When i asked i was also shown the houses you can stay in. They were comfortable. Don't expect a fancy place like one of the hotels in the touristic areas, but you have everything you need, like flushing toilet, comfortable bed, shower, etc.

5Endro P 5:00 PM Dec 31, 2015

A Living Museum in The Gambia
Along the Coastal Road, halfway between Tanje and Batukunku, the Tanje Village Museum (find it in Google Maps) was an unexpected and pleasant encounter; greeted by the smiling welcome of the young curator, I paid a small entrance fee (GMD 200.00) and was accompanied on the tour of the premises. In addition to typical pictures, exhibits, cloths, costumes, agricultural tools, musical instruments etc. regarding the culture and the traditional ways of life of the major ethnic groups of the Gambia, I was surprised to find, actually, an ethnobotanical museum, with standing trees and plants utilized for building, alimentary, ritual and/or therapeutical purposes. I also watched a weaver busy with his craft and listened to traditional songs played by a band of musicians while sitting in the bantaba sipping tea and trying to appease my customary curiosity by firing unending questions at the knowledgeable guide. A modern extended family (owners of the museum) live in the same large compound enclosing the museum, and I could see men, women and children carrying out their daily chores and activities, thus transmuting a simple visit to a museum into a unique, "unplugged" experience. When I left the compound, I made a late discovery: lodges, a conference room and an ethnic restaurant are available for a full immersion museal – and gastronomic – adventure. Gambia, here I come!