Museum of African Art

Situated in one of the most beautiful residential areas of Blegrade, the Museum of African Art is the only museum in Serbia dedicated entirely to the culture and art of the African continent.

Under the patronage of the municipal authorities, the museum was opened to the public in 1977 to house a valuable collection of African Art acquired by dedicated art enthusiast and passionate collector, Dr. Zdravko Pecar and his family. During the two decades he spent in West Africa, first as a journalist and reporter and later as a diplomat and Yugoslavia’s ambassador to seven African countries, he gained a profound knowledge of African history, culture and art, forging a close relationship with the peoples of Africa, their customs and lifestyle. Great perseverence and personal and material effort enabled the Pecar family benefactors to collect the valuable pieces which today constitute an extraordinary collection of African Art. What makes Belgrade’s Museum of African Art unique is the fact that all the museum artifacts were exported from Africa with written permission from the respective African governments and not as the spoils of the White Man’s plunder.

Although Dr. Pecar donated much of his exceptional collection to the City of Belgrade, a considerable portion is still privately owned by the Pecar family and is displayed, on loan, in the museum. The founding collection in the museum is continually being enhanced through purchases and donations not only of single pieces but also of whole collections. Hence, the museum collection currently comprises several thousand authentic tradition-based objects originating in West, Central and East Africa.

The Museum of African Art is a living organism aimed at promoting all aspects of African life, culture and art by organising a wide range of events including lectures, music recitals, poetry readings, bazaars, workshops and much more besides. Over the years, it has rallied young and old alike to become the hub and home of Africa in Serbia.