AfricaMuseum (Royal Museum for Central Africa)

The museum came about because of the world exhibition of 1897 in Brussels. Then Leopold II showed off objects and art from the Belgian colony of Congo in the Colonial Palace in Tervuren.
After the World's Fair, the temporary exhibition became permanent. The Colonial Palace soon proved too small and Leopold II had a new, gigantic museum built, which his successor Albert I opened in 1910. In addition to being a museum, the institution was also a scientific institution. And the park around it was and still is beautiful ! The building is also frequently used for luxurious parties .

The Royal Museum for Central Africa, since 2018 also the AfricaMuseum and in the past also called the Congo Museum, is one of the eleven scientific federal institutions in Belgium. It is located on the Leuvensesteenweg in Tervuren in the Park of Tervuren, east of Brussels.

King Leopold II wanted to introduce the Belgian population to the Congo colony through a museum. The royal domains in Tervuren were chosen as the location. This was the birth of the Congo Museum. Initially, on the occasion of the Colonial Exhibition in 1897 in the Africa Palace (former Colonial Palace) that had been set up for this purpose, but this soon proved to be too small. The French architect Charles Girault was appointed to draw up the plans for a new museum. The building had to radiate the prestige of the then young Belgian state. The works began in 1904 and lasted until 1909. The building in a neoclassical architectural style looks impressive. The Parisian Petit Palais served as a model for the museum. After years of renovation, the museum has undergone a major change in appearance. From now on, a new reception pavilion (with ticket sales, shop, restaurant) provides access to the museum. An underground gallery leads from this pavilion to the old museum building. It was renovated and restored with respect for the original, protected architectural concept. Light and transparency are reintroduced into the building, just as architect Girault had in mind when building this museum. The original perspectives and views in the building were opened up. The current patio garden was given a contemporary intervention. Part of it was deepened. This sunken garden brings light to the underground
level and can serve as an open-air theatre. Opposite the museum on the Leuvensesteenweg, since 1938 there has been an elephant by Albéric Collin (1886-1962), the most important Belgian animal sculptor of his time. The total height is 5.10 m up to the elephant's back, 7 m up to the trunk and 8.5 m up to the tip of the spear. Source: regiedergebouwen.be/sites/default/files/park-van-tervuren-warandekaart-juli-2019.pdf