With four years of delay, the Schoelcher Museum, which became the Museum of Art and History (MUSARTH), has reopened its doors on Peynier Street in Pointe-à-Pitre.
The inauguration was celebrated on Friday, September 30 by the Departmental Council of Guadeloupe, which is in charge of it. On this occasion, three days of activities were organized until Sunday, October 2. Recall that the laying of the foundation stone for these renovation and extension works took place in 2016 with a former team of elected officials and that, since last year and until 2028, new elected officials lead the Departmental Council. They aim “to set up a structural scheme for creative and cultural industries” in the archipelago.
The historic building has been preserved but modernized and the new extension offers spaces dedicated to temporary exhibitions, educational activities, conferences or artistic and cultural meetings. As for the permanent exhibition, it has been completely revisited, en particular with Jean-Luc Déjean‘s works ; indeed, after years in the shadows, the work of this talented Guadeloupean sculptor is finally recognized by our political and cultural leaders…
We also note that the Scheolcher Museum in Pointe-à-Pitre has been a victim of this anti-Victor Schoelcher wave, considered until then as the one who abolished slavery in the French colonies, and a victim of this wave of removal of statues throughout the world. The bust of the French deputy is no longer displayed at the entrance of the century-old museum.
Built in 1883 to house the items and works that Victor Schoelcher bequeathed to the General Council of Guadeloupe (now Departmental Council), the museum had been inaugurated on July 21, 1886, 38 years after the abolition of slavery and 7 years before Schoelcher’s death.
