Twenty years. Since the creation of the musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac, over 77,000 works, composed of both historic and contemporary pieces, have been added to its collection. How has it been formed, what perspectives have shaped it, and what has been the underlying critical thought? 20 Years of Collection Enrichment presents the museum’s acquisitions between 1998 and 2018: the history of a young institution and its behind-the-scenes universe, through some 500 iconic works.

Although the museum only opened in 2006, it has had grand plans for its collections since its creation in 1998. It seeks to photograph, provide information on and restore the works inherited from the Musée National des Arts d’Afrique et d’Océanie and the musée de l’Homme. At the same time, the institution has developed its own acquisition policy designed to highlight the main elements that forge the identity of these inherited collections, while developing new avenues. Its aim is to demonstrate the vitality of creation from Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas and to expand our knowledge of these cultures, whether living, undergoing transformation or lost.