Acta Historica Universitatis Klaipedensis

The article recollects the history and activity of the National Museum in Szczecin. This institution, established as the Museum of West Pomerania in 1949, possesses rich collections of Polish and European art (old masters and modern art), collections of ethnographic and archaeological objects of Pomerania, of numismatics and an interesting maritime section. There is also a large ethnographic collection of non- European objects. The museum employees have been conducting their research in non-European countries for years, publishing their results in the museum publications. In the beginning the establishment of the Section of Non-European Cultures and gathering of the above mentioned first African collections were the result of the co-operation with institutions of sea and maritime economy that had helped in the organisation of expeditions to Africa. The paper characterises the above mentioned collection and educational work of the museum.