Thiès: Arts and Crafts, Museum and Railway History

When planning a trip to Thiès, it helps to make a clear distinction: the city of Thiès can be explored through its regional museum, arts and crafts, and railway history; the wider Région de Thiès encompasses other tourist themes with a different focus.

City of Thiès: Museum and Place de France

Fort de Thiès, formerly known as 10ème, is now the Regional Museum of Thiès. The museum is listed as national cultural heritage and is located in the 10e district. At the centre is Place de France, which the city describes as an emblematic site. The museum and the square represent different sides of the city: these are two themes for your trip planning, bringing together a historic museum site and a central urban space.

Arts and crafts in the 10ème district

The Manufactures sénégalaises des arts décoratifs are located in the 10ème district of the municipality of Thiès and were inaugurated in 1966. Their work includes tapestry, mosaic, ceramics, dyeing, lithography, screen printing and foundry work. The range therefore extends from textile and ceramic techniques to surface and printing techniques, as well as casting. For a cultural and historical trip, these crafts complement the regional museum by offering a different perspective, with techniques and decorative design at the heart of it.

Railway history and cultural sites

Railway history is also a regional theme. The railway station and warehouses are listed as a historic site in the Thiès Department. A walking tour organised on 22 June explored the city of Thiès and its railway history. It was organised by the Classes Préparatoires aux Grandes Écoles and the Centre régional des œuvres universitaires et sociales of Thiès; around 100 people took part. This example connects the city with a specific theme for a stay without presenting it as a regularly offered programme.

Other cultural sites add to the picture at the departmental level, including Thiès Cathedral and the bishopric building. In the Thiénaba arrondissement, the Carrières de Diack are listed as an archaeological site in the Thiès Department. These places differ in their respective classifications as religious buildings and an archaeological site. This makes it possible to distinguish the city’s cultural focus from the other cultural sites within the department.

Regional highlights in the Région de Thiès

For a stay that takes in the wider region, the Région de Thiès is more than just the city. It has a northern and a southern coastline, separated by the coast of the Région de Dakar. Tourist profiles also vary by department: tourism in the Département de Mbour is predominantly beach-oriented, while the Département de Tivaouane is known for religious tourism, including Gamous and Ziarras. These regional highlights should be distinguished from the city of Thiès’s themes of museums, arts and crafts, and railway history.

Find hotels to suit your reason for travelling

For a cultural and historical stay, the regional museum, arts and crafts, and railway history offer a thematic guide. For a business visit, the Thiès Department’s focus on business tourism, seminars and conferences is a different regional point of reference. Decide which focus is most relevant to your trip, then choose a hotel offer based on your specific requirements.

Discover more destinations: Thiès, Kebemer, Mbour

Go to the main travel overview: Thiès.