In 1897, British troops attacked the kingdom of Benin in present-day Nigeria. They ousted the king, burned down the capital and looted thousands of royal artefacts from the palace. In Europe, the objects were sold on the art market as “Benin Bronzes”. In 1940, Benin artefacts also entered the collection of the Ethnographic Museum.

Today, these objects are an opportunity for us to enter into new relationships with Nigerian communities, to give them access to their cultural heritage and to recognise their claims to ownership.

The exhibition, which is based on research by the Swiss Benin Initiative, was developed with Nigerian experts from Benin City and diaspora groups in Zurich.

Exhibition opening on Friday, 23 August 2024, 6 pm. Welcome!