A plunge into the history of gold and trade... This is what the Monnaie de Paris is offering with its brand-new exhibition, Akan, les valeurs de l'échange, running until February 28, 2021. The exhibition invites visitors and other history buffs to discover the Akan people, who hail from West Africa and live mainly in Ghana today, and the history of their financial system. The exhibition remains closed until further notice.
The Akan people, Ashanti in particular, used gold as a means of payment until the arrival of the colonists and their monetary system at the beginning of the 20th century. What's special about the Akan monetary system? No coins, but gold preserved in powder form in small boxes, and weighed using scales and weights for transactions. In all, over 2,000 of these weights are preserved at the Monnaie de Paris, and are revealed to you on the occasion of this exhibition.
Through a meticulous selection of objects of all kinds, the Monnaie de Paris aims to tell you about the origins of these economic practices, as well as the originality of the many small bronze boxes and figures used in this region of Africa. It's also an opportunity to learn more about exchanges between Africa and the West, through a recontextualization of Akan culture. There are also several workshops for families, such as the Akan tour-workshop , faire le poids, on Wednesday September 9 at 2:30 p.m., and the guided tour Les petits poids, scheduled for the All Saints' vacation period.
Shall we go, friends?
Please note that it's been over 4 years since our last visit, so the place and experience may have changed.
Location
Paris Mint
11, quai Conti
75006 Paris 6
Prices
Tarif réduit: €8
Plein tarif: €12
Official website
www.monnaiedeparis.fr
More information
Open Tuesday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
