Mali Pavilion is an EPCOT pavilion based on the country of Mali's rich history and cultural heritage. In particular, it’s based on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Timbuktu and Djenné. It replaces the African Outpost, yet keeps the African cultural representation. This pavilion is a joint venture between Disney and UNESCO built in order to spread awareness about Timbuktu's threatened cultural heritage.
A replica of the Great Mosque Of Djenné stands in the middle of the pavilion serving as both a landmark and a way to hide the show building for the pavilion's attraction. It is flanked by a replica of the Djinguereber Mosque to the left and a replica of the Sankore Madrasa to the right. The latter as the main entrance to this pavilion's attraction, TIMBUKTU: TOWN OF SCHOLARS, while the former serves as the exit. TIMBUKTU: TOWN OF SCHOLARS is a dark ride taking guests through the history of Timbuktu. Guests queue through a library filled with books and scrolls before loading their vehicles, which are inspired by Malian wood carvings, in a courtyard. The first scene guests see is Timbuktu in 2013 during an attack on Timbuktu by extremists who destroyed many of its historical sites. Narration further contextualizes the scene and how brave librarians have smuggled thousands ofhistorical manuscripts into secret hiding places. The ride then takes guests further back in time to the 14th century, specifically the reign of Mansa Musa, the wealthiest king of Mali. Guests then see a caravan of camels hauling salt across the Sahara Desert as the narration explains the Trans-Saharan Salt/Gold Trade and its importance to Malian history. Guests then see a group of miners excavating gold from the Sahara. Guests then pass the Niger River, where narration explains how the Niger River's floods helped the natives of Mali to grow their crops. Next, guests pass by the Great Mosque of Djenné before entering it, where they encounter Sufi mystics, where narration explains how Sufis dedicated their lives to serving their community and to the teaching and training of the next generation of leaders. Guests then enter the Sankore Madrasa, where narration explains how, during the reign of Mansa Musa, Timbuktu became an intellectual hub for scholars in West Africa. Guests continue into the Madrasa and see scholars hard at work observing the night sky, plants, and other things as narration explains the scientific advances made in Timbuktu, followed by a scene of mathematicians working as narrations explain al-Samlali's advancements in the mathematical world. Next, guests wind through the streets of Timbuktu as narration explains how the city was built from mud and clay. Guests then go on top of a building, where they see astronomers hard at work creating a lunar calendar as narration explains how both astronomy and astrology flourished in Timbuktu. Guests then go into Mansa Musa's palace as narration explains the art of the period. This is followed by guests entering Mansa Musa's throne room as the narration explains Mansa Musa and his wealth. The final scene sends guests back to the present day as they see the pages of the Timbuktu Manuscripts as narration explains UNESCO's efforts to save Timbuktu and its cultural heritage. Guests unload in another courtyard and exit the ride.
Outside the ride building is a marketplace square where guests can watch a show of traditional Malian song and dance and buy Dogon masks, Malian textiles, drums, gold jewelry, salt, replicas of the Timbuktu Manuscripts, wood carvings, and other items from Mali.
A replica of the Great Mosque Of Djenné stands in the middle of the pavilion serving as both a landmark and a way to hide the show building for the pavilion's attraction. It is flanked by a replica of the Djinguereber Mosque to the left and a replica of the Sankore Madrasa to the right. The latter as the main entrance to this pavilion's attraction, TIMBUKTU: TOWN OF SCHOLARS, while the former serves as the exit. TIMBUKTU: TOWN OF SCHOLARS is a dark ride taking guests through the history of Timbuktu. Guests queue through a library filled with books and scrolls before loading their vehicles, which are inspired by Malian wood carvings, in a courtyard. The first scene guests see is Timbuktu in 2013 during an attack on Timbuktu by extremists who destroyed many of its historical sites. Narration further contextualizes the scene and how brave librarians have smuggled thousands ofhistorical manuscripts into secret hiding places. The ride then takes guests further back in time to the 14th century, specifically the reign of Mansa Musa, the wealthiest king of Mali. Guests then see a caravan of camels hauling salt across the Sahara Desert as the narration explains the Trans-Saharan Salt/Gold Trade and its importance to Malian history. Guests then see a group of miners excavating gold from the Sahara. Guests then pass the Niger River, where narration explains how the Niger River's floods helped the natives of Mali to grow their crops. Next, guests pass by the Great Mosque of Djenné before entering it, where they encounter Sufi mystics, where narration explains how Sufis dedicated their lives to serving their community and to the teaching and training of the next generation of leaders. Guests then enter the Sankore Madrasa, where narration explains how, during the reign of Mansa Musa, Timbuktu became an intellectual hub for scholars in West Africa. Guests continue into the Madrasa and see scholars hard at work observing the night sky, plants, and other things as narration explains the scientific advances made in Timbuktu, followed by a scene of mathematicians working as narrations explain al-Samlali's advancements in the mathematical world. Next, guests wind through the streets of Timbuktu as narration explains how the city was built from mud and clay. Guests then go on top of a building, where they see astronomers hard at work creating a lunar calendar as narration explains how both astronomy and astrology flourished in Timbuktu. Guests then go into Mansa Musa's palace as narration explains the art of the period. This is followed by guests entering Mansa Musa's throne room as the narration explains Mansa Musa and his wealth. The final scene sends guests back to the present day as they see the pages of the Timbuktu Manuscripts as narration explains UNESCO's efforts to save Timbuktu and its cultural heritage. Guests unload in another courtyard and exit the ride.
Outside the ride building is a marketplace square where guests can watch a show of traditional Malian song and dance and buy Dogon masks, Malian textiles, drums, gold jewelry, salt, replicas of the Timbuktu Manuscripts, wood carvings, and other items from Mali.