Tanji Village Museum

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1997

Gambia's first private museum

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Strings on the kora

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Traditional craft studios

A Living Museum

Welcome to Tanje Village Museum

a unique cultural and natural history museum where the traditions, everyday life, environment and heritage of The Gambia come together in one living experience.

Founded in 1997, by founder Abdoulie Bayo, Tanje Village Museum is recognised as The Gambia’s first privately operated museum. What began as a vision to preserve Gambian heritage has grown into a place where visitors can explore traditional life, natural history, craftsmanship and the stories passed from one generation to the next.

The Round Huts

Each hut, a chapter of daily life

The Traditional Compound

A meticulously rebuilt pre-colonial Mandinka family compound, showing the distinct quarters and roles of men and women in historical society.

The Ethnographic Collection

Several huts hold household utensils, farming tools and traditional clothing — a quiet window into survival and domestic life centuries ago.

The Musical Gallery

A dedicated space for the kora, the balafon and ceremonial drums — instruments that still carry the rhythms of West African life.

Living History

Where ancient craft is still in motion

Local artisans and performers keep traditions breathing. Sit with a weaver, strike a drum under guidance, or watch fire leave its mark on fresh clay.

Fabric Weaving & Pottery

Watch time-honored looms and wheelwork, then join a short hands-on workshop.

Drumming & Dance

Live ceremonial drumming and dance, with brief sessions to learn the basics yourself.

The Blacksmith's Fire

Traditional ironwork demonstrated on-site, carrying a craft passed across generations.

Living History

The Nature Trail & Birdwatching

A guided walk through preserved coastal woodland, where labeled indigenous trees reveal their ecological and medicinal uses — and the thriving birdlife they shelter.

40+

Indigenous species identified on the trail

Dawn

Best light for observing regional birdlife

Mangrove & Baobab

Medicinal and ecological uses explained on-site.

Guided Walks

Daily with a local ecologist-guide.

Visit & Stay

Stay a little longer

Refresh in the open-air garden, take home a piece of
craft, or rest in a basic eco-hut for an immersive overnight stay.

The Garden Bar

An open-air bar and restaurant serving local refreshments beneath the shade of the compound trees.

The Craft Shop

Authentic, locally made souvenirs — every purchase goes directly to the artisans who crafted it.

Eco-Hut Overnight

Basic on-site huts for visitors seeking a true, unhurried overnight stay in the village.