At the end of the "ramp", a long winding ribbon that spirals from the entrance hall, visitors reach the "Collections Area". This vast, open-plan space is arranged into zones according to the geographical areas that the musée du quai Branly — Jacques Chirac collections come from: Oceania, Asia, Africa and the Americas. The fluid layout makes the space a large crossroads between civilisations and cultures: Asia-Oceania, Insulindia, Mashriq-Maghreb.

The presentation of 3,500 items puts the emphasis on the historical depth of the cultures on display and on the diverse meanings of the pieces. The museography takes the time to invite the visitor to stop and get insights on important themes.

The river

A tactile space investigating the way mankind perceives and represents space: to look and touch

The museum suggests a route designed for all visitors and adapted to people with disabilities. Texts presented in Braille, tactile bas-relief images, and screens adapted to be used in different ways (auditory or visual handicaps, reduced mobility) all offer twenty sequences providing a glimpse into mankind's relationship with the space that surrounds it in different cultures. Covered in leather, the river presents a thematic, transversal perspective and provides new insight into the geographical dimension of the Collections Area.

The river was created with the support of Schneider Electric.