位于尼日尔首都尼亚美(Niamey)市中心的布布·哈马国家博物馆(Musée National Boubou Hama)占地超过 24 公顷,是西非地区规模最大且最具综合性的文化机构之一。自 1959 年正式对外开放以来,这里不仅保存着珍贵的史前化石与民族文物,更通过露天展示的方式还原了尼日尔全境的传统建筑形态。步入博物馆大门,你会发现这里更像是一个将动物园、植物园、手工艺村与历史展厅无缝融合的巨型公园,建议出发前查看官网或当地旅游局最新信息以确认具体开放时段。
这座博物馆的名字源于尼日尔著名学者与政治家布布·哈马(Boubou Hama)。早在尼日尔正式脱离殖民统治独立的半年前,它就开始向公众揭开面纱。比起那些把所有宝藏锁在玻璃柜里的传统场馆,这里更强调空间的开放性。即便是在撒哈拉热浪袭人的午后,博物馆内繁茂的树荫也让体感温度比外面的柏油马路低上几度。尼日尔政府在 2008 年将馆名正式更改,以纪念布布·哈马对国家文化身份认同做出的贡献。
很多游客没有足够的时间跑遍尼日尔广阔的边境,但在博物馆的露天区域,你可以一次性看全这个国家的民居精华。场馆里按照 1:1 的比例复刻了不同民族的住房,包括图阿雷格人(Tuareg)用皮毛与木架搭建的便携帐篷、豪萨人(Hausa)极具几何美感的浮雕泥砖房,以及松海人(Songhai)和富拉尼人(Peul)的传统草屋。这些房子不只是模型,它们使用的是原始建材,甚至在阳光下的气味都和在沙漠村落里闻到的一模一样。
尼日尔的加杜法瓦地区(Gadoufaoua)被称为恐龙的坟场,而布布·哈马国家博物馆则是这些远古巨兽的最佳归宿。古生物展厅里最吸睛的当属将近 1.1 亿年前的豪勇龙(Ouranosaurus)和约巴龙(Jobaria)化石。这些长达十几米的骨架在展厅里显得极具视觉冲击力,尤其是考虑到这些化石都是在尼日尔境内的撒哈拉沙漠中被发掘出来的。站在这些庞然大物旁边,你会瞬间意识到这片如今荒凉的土地在白垩纪时期曾是多么茂盛的沼泽森林。
说起世界上最孤独的树,很多人会想到那棵曾生长在撒哈拉腹地、方圆 400 公里内唯一的一株金合欢树。遗憾的是,这棵生存了数个世纪的神奇之树在 1973 年被一名醉酒的卡车司机撞倒了。现在,这棵名为特内雷之树(Arbre du Ténéré)的遗骸就被保存在博物馆的一个独立亭子里。虽然原址现在只剩一根金属架,但在这里你依然能触摸到那段顽强的生命记忆。很多尼日尔本地家庭带孩子来参观时,都会在树前驻足许久,讲述那段关于韧性与意外的往事。
博物馆西侧有一片非常接地气的手工艺村,这也是最推荐停留的地方。这里聚集了全尼日尔手艺最精湛的银匠、皮革匠和织布工。他们并不是在表演,而是每天雷打不动地在这里制作维持生计的器物。你可以看着一位银匠用古老的失蜡法铸造出一枚带有复杂花纹的阿加德兹十字(Cross of Agadez)。如果你想带点纪念品,直接在这里成交是最好的选择,价格往往比市区礼品店更公道,而且钱是直接交到匠人手里。说实话,看他们心无旁骛地敲打金属,比看任何说明牌都要过瘾。
去参观时一定要选在清晨九点开门就进去。这时候气温凉爽,而且能避开午后的大批学生参观团。门票价格对外国游客来说大约在 1500 到 2500 西非法郎(CFA)之间,算下来也就二三十元人民币,性价比极高。需要提醒的是,博物馆里的动物园部分设施略显陈旧,如果你是对动物福利比较敏感的旅行者,可能会对这里的笼舍环境感到心里不舒服,建议重点参观文化展厅和手工艺村。从肯尼迪大桥(Kennedy Bridge)步行过来也就十几分钟的路程,逛完之后直接去尼日尔河边看日落是标准的尼日尔式休闲方案。
博物馆实行收费制,尼日尔当地人与外国游客的票价不同。成人票通常在 1500 至 2500 西非法郎左右,拍照可能需要额外支付几百法郎的拍摄费。建议随身携带一些小面额纸币,以便在手工艺村购买手工艺品时使用。
可以,博物馆拥有非洲非常重要的古生物收藏,展厅内陈列着在尼日尔境内发掘的 1.1 亿年前的豪勇龙和约巴龙完整骨架化石。这些化石是实物而非单纯的模型,是尼日尔作为世界级化石发掘地的直接证据。
场馆内部有一些简易的小摊位售卖矿泉水和当地零食,但正式的餐厅较少。考虑到 24 公顷的游览面积需要消耗大量体力,建议自带足够的水。博物馆出口附近有很多临街餐馆,游览结束后可以去那边品尝地道的尼日尔慢炖肉或炸芭蕉。
如果只是走马观花看一遍恐龙和树,大约 1.5 小时足矣。但若想仔细观察传统民居建筑并与手工艺村的匠人交流,建议预留 3 到 4 个小时。博物馆在周五通常会有较长的午休闭馆时间,尽量避开周五下午前往以免吃闭门羹。"
Sidi Koté Disappointing experience. Place looks not maintained at all, and the animals in the zoo lacked space, especially the lions locked in tiny cages. Dinosaurs' skeletons are the only nice thing to see.
Lee Sei Loong The museum and the zoo are in the same place. When we arrived to buy the museum ticket (XOF 1500), we also asked us to buy the camera ticket (XOF 1000), but the staff inside the museum told us that we could not take pictures. It's none of their business when you go out and ask for a refund. They told us after the ticket was sold, no refund could be made, really shouldn't cheat tourists like that.
Holly S Seeing the animals kept in the tiny cages without water or comfort hurt my heart. Interesting dinosaurs. Was hoping to see inside the museum but it closes for certain hours. Posted a photo to help others.
Mumbi Mumbi The animals in the zoo looked sad and out of place. Museum is not clean. Nice artefacts sold there. No guide Lion oil was being sold all over Dinosaur skeletons were a marvel to see.
Eric Rudberg When it comes to a place like this museum/zoo, you have to look at in two ways. If I was to compare it to a museum/zoo in the United States or Europe I'd give it two stars tops. There really wasn't much to the museum part but the stuff they did have was interesting. Even though I don't speak French I still really appreciate the display on traditional garb, the scale model of the oil refinery, and the display on uranium mining (I didn't realize Niger was the fourth largest producer in the world...and the attendant in the room was very enthusiastic explaining it all to me even though I couldn't understand a word he was saying). If you compared this museum to most other museums I've seen in Africa it would get a high 4, maybe 5. The dinosaur display was incredible! Never in the US or Europe would you be allowed that close to the actual bones. That alone is worth the entrance fee. The zoo was very sad and depressing. The animals are in way too small of cages in just concrete floors. They also didn't have anything to entertain themselves with. They just laid there bored out of their minds or just extremely agitated. I'm sure they are doing the best they can with what they have but still very sad.