20 years: The acquisitions of the musee du quai Branly

The Musée du quai Branly in Paris, opened in 2006, is home to over 450,000 works from the indigenous cultures of Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas. The vast majority of these pieces were formerly housed in the Musée national des Arts d'Afrique et d'Océanie (now closed) and in the ethnographic department of the Musée de l'Homme. Since its inception in 1998, the Quai Branly museum newly acquired 77,082 of those works, including 15,587 objects and 61,225 graphic works and photographs. 20 Years provides a behind-the-scenes look at the formation of the museum, and the growth of its collection through the acquisition process. With over 400 images, 20 Years includes contributions from ten department heads and others at the museum, discussing their decision process for acquiring new items and the new research opportunities enabled by 20 years' worth of acquisitions.