Kinshasa - Post Report Question and Answers
Is this a "shopping post"? Are there interesting handicrafts, artwork, antiques, or other items that people typically buy there?
If you don't mind bargaining and being taken advantage of! Paintings are popular here. There are lots of handicrafts such as masks, baskets, and other wooden items. We bought several masks and baskets which I recommend, however, stay away from other hand made wooden items. They don't let the wood properly age before carving them and everything we bought had bugs emerge after a couple months and cracked to the point of not reparable. - May 2024
No, things are quite expensive here. You can buy some local handicrafts, there are very few good artists here, the art offering here is not that great. Then there is the issue of everyone here trying to take advantage of you, by selling you their stuff at exorbitant prices. - Aug 2022
Standard African curio and trinkets - May 2022
Definitely, but shopping can be very stressful because you have to navigate the crowded markets. There are talented artisans and artists everywhere in this city. Lots of great woodwork if you're a Tin Tin fan... - Aug 2019
Kinshasa has some great local art, and a lot of the usual tourist trinkets. Tailoring is very popular, especially using the vibrant local "pagne" fabric. - Apr 2019
Pagne goods, wooden knickknacks, there is some art, there are some good markets around Christmas time. - Dec 2017
Lots of artisans here selling many different items. - Mar 2017
Yes, handicrafts are amazing (even compared to other places in Africa). You can get great wooden carvings, masks, paintings, and knick knacks. The process of buying/bargaining for these is quite stressful, but you can find real gems for little money if you are thick-skinned and persistent. Tailors are relatively cheap, so you can have unique clothing made with local fabric. - Jan 2017
It's sad, but a serious African art collector can find some amazing pieces -- masks and carvings, and museum quality Kuba cloth -- for very little money. - Sep 2016
Art - paintings, masks, wooden/clay sculptures; pagne (local fabrics) which are beautiful and cheap (6 yards for US$10-15). - Apr 2016
Pagne fabrics, art, masks, scultptures, furniture, many, many tchotkes. Not cheap, however, and not all of good quality. - Jan 2014
Very nice wood furniture, paintings, some copper and other metal art, lots of wood carvings and crafts. - Nov 2012
Local art and crafts. Fabric and cloth. - Feb 2012
Fabrics. - Nov 2011
There are some nice paintings - Aug 2011
Artwork, wood crafts, masks. - Jan 2011
Cloth, statues, masks, paintings. The stuff in the markets is mass produced. But with effort you can find someone who will locate items of real interest. The "village des artistes" has some pretty neat, creative stuff going on. Furniture of decent quality can be had from a Mennonite outfit. - Oct 2010
Kuba cloth, kuba masks, malachite beads & other objects. - Jan 2009
