Strasbourg's Château-musée Vodou: West African Vodou in a Former Water Tower
Located at 4 Rue de Koenigshoffen near the train station, the Château-musée Vodou in Strasbourg, France, displays more than 1,200 Vodou artifacts from West Africa, gathered by Marie-Luce and Marc Arbogast over four decades. After five years of renovation, it opened its doors in 2014. The museum, housed in a neo-Romanesque structure designed by Johann Eduard Jacobsthal from 1878 to 1883, was initially a reservoir. Its permanent exhibition includes around 200 pieces, such as masks and altars, representing Vodou, a faith embraced by over 60 million individuals. Operating hours are from 2 PM to 6 PM, and it features podcasts and a virtual reality experience of Beninese rituals. It is highlighted in Beaux Arts magazine's summer series on unique museums in France.
Key facts
- Château-musée Vodou is located in a former water tower in Strasbourg, France.
- The building was constructed between 1878 and 1883 by architect Johann Eduard Jacobsthal.
- The museum opened in 2014 after five years of renovation.
- Marie-Luce and Marc Arbogast collected over 1,200 Vodou objects over 40 years.
- The permanent exhibition displays about 200 objects.
- Objects were collected from Ghana, Benin, Togo, and Nigeria.
- Vodou is practiced by over 60 million people worldwide.
- The museum offers podcasts and a virtual reality experience of Beninese ceremonies.
- The museum is open only in the afternoon, from 2 PM to 6 PM.
- The address is 4 Rue de Koenigshoffen, 67000 Strasbourg.
Entities
Artists
- Marie-Luce Arbogast
- Marc Arbogast
- Johann Eduard Jacobsthal
Institutions
- Château-musée Vodou
- Beaux Arts
Locations
- Strasbourg
- France
- Ghana
- Benin
- Togo
- Nigeria
- Rue de Koenigshoffen