Background:
The Ecole du Patrimoine Africain-EPA is heir to the PREMA programme (Prevention in Museums of Africa), launched by ICCROM in 1986. From the beginning EPA mainly ensures the training of museum professionals in sub-Saharan Africa in the field of conservation.

Its educational activities, focalising mainly on museums, where managed at the beginning by the Training Department.

In January 2005, in the context of its institutional re-organisation, EPA created six activity departments. The Museum Department was therefore created with a larger scope of action extending to museums and assimilated institutions (libraries, archives, etc.).

Objective:
Reinforce the capacities of museums and related institutions in the field of management, conservation and enhancement of their collections.

Missions:		Target audiences
- Diagnose and analyse problems		Museums, libraries, archives
- Set up work		Scientific and technical staff
- Develop museums-visitors relationship		- Staff in charge of outreach programmes, mediation and educational activities - Schoolchildren - Teachers
- Technical advice		Museums, archives, libraries

A special activity:
The Museums Department is particularily involved in the Museums in the service of development (MSD) programme (2006-2009), financed by the FSP (French Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

2010 team:
- Anne Ambourouè Avaro, coordinator
- Diane Toffoun, Mediation Programme Officer
- Marie-Thérèse Hodé, Intangible Heritage Programme Officer.

Activities scheduled in 2010:
- Finalisation, translation, uploading and evaluation de "Documentation of Museum Collections: Why? How? A Practical Guide"
- Follow up of the museum of masks of Adjarra