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Museums & Galleries in Grand-Bassam
Grand-Bassam, on the coast east of Abidjan, was the first colonial capital of Cote d'Ivoire and is inscribed by UNESCO as a rare surviving example of a planned late-19th-century colonial town. Its faded French quarter of governor's residences and trading houses now holds museums, galleries and a long Atlantic beach.
Why here
Grand-Bassam is the best place in Cote d'Ivoire to read the country's history in its buildings. The town was the French colonial capital from 1893, and UNESCO inscribed its historic quarter in 2012 as a well-preserved example of a planned colonial port, laid out in separate districts for commerce, administration and housing. At its centre stands the Musee National du Costume, housed in the 1920 former governor's palace, whose collection gathers traditional costumes, ritual masks, photographs and everyday objects from the many peoples of Cote d'Ivoire under one grand colonial roof. Around it the old quarter has become a low-key arts town, with galleries and artisan workshops among the crumbling verandas, and a wide beach a short walk away. For a first-time visitor it is an easy, rewarding day from Abidjan that puts the country's colonial past and its living cultures side by side.
Best months
The museum and the historic quarter are open year-round, and the driest, most comfortable months on this stretch of coast run from December to April. Grand-Bassam sits right on the Atlantic, so it is warm and humid; the ocean here has a strong current and is better for walking the beach than for swimming. The old quarter is compact and walkable, and the museum makes the natural starting point before the galleries and workshops.
Getting there & around
Grand-Bassam is about 40 kilometres east of Abidjan, around an hour by road, which makes it an easy half-day or day trip from the city or an overnight by the beach. The historic quarter and the Musee National du Costume are walkable once you arrive. Taxis and ride-hailing run from Abidjan; agree the fare or route in advance. Combine the museum with the galleries, the artisan market and the beachfront.
Skill levels: beginner
Schools & guides (1)
Musee National du Costume de Grand-Bassam
OrganizerThe Musee National du Costume is the national costume museum of Cote d'Ivoire, set in the former governor's palace of Grand-Bassam, a colonial residence built in 1920 when the town was the capital. Its collection gathers traditional costumes, ritual masks, historic photographs and everyday objects from the different peoples of Cote d'Ivoire, inside one of the emblematic buildings of the UNESCO-inscribed historic quarter. It anchors Grand-Bassam's museum and gallery scene.