The 1897 Tervuren Museum: Belgium's Imperial Showcase

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the origins of the Royal Museum for Central Africa in Tervuren, Belgium, built for the 1897 World Exhibition. They discuss how Leopold II commissioned the museum to showcase the Congo Free State's 'civilizing mission' through ethnographic displays, dioramas, and live Congolese villagers in a 'human zoo.' The conversation examines the museum's architecture, the controversial displays of Congolese art and artifacts, and the role of curator Édouard Dupont. They also touch on the museum's 21st-century renovations and ongoing debates about repatriation and colonial memory. #Tervuren #RoyalMuseumforCentralAfrica #LeopoldII #1897Exposition #CongoFreeState #HumanZoo #ÉdouardDupont #EthnographicDisplay #ColonialPropaganda #BelgianCongo #WorldExhibition #Repatriation #ColonialMemory #MuseumHistory #19thCentury #History #FexingoHistory #Belgium Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo