Edmond Albius Vanilla Museum
Discover the fascinating history of vanilla at the Edmond Albius Vanilla Museum in Antohomaro, Sambava. Learn about the vanilla creation process from the manual pollination of the flowering orchids through harvesting of green beans to the preparation of the much-loved spice.
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Let us begin with the story of Edmond Albius, who, while working as a slave at a young age on Réunion Island, set the global vanilla trade into motion.
In 1820, French colonists had brought vanilla vines from their native habitat in Mexico to Réunion, hoping to cultivate the sought-after ingredient for culinary use, which, outside of Mexico, was considered a luxury spice enjoyed mainly among royals and nobles. In the mid-19th century, Mexico had a monopoly on the trade, as the only effective pollinator was the native Mexican Melipona bee, which restricted large-scale cultivation.
Efforts to introduce the plant elsewhere produced seasonal flowers but no fruit, since no insect outside of Mexico could pollinate them.
Born into slavery on La Réunion Island in 1829, a young Edmond spent his time following his master Beaumont around the plantations, where he learned about flowers and fruits, including a vanilla vine belonging to the Beaumont estate.
At nearly 12 years of age, Edmond discovered how hand-pollination of vanilla orchids could be achieved. His method: Pollinate the flower using a thin stick and a simple thumb gesture, lifting the rostellum, the flap that separates the male anther from the female stigma, and apply slight pressure using the thumb, smearing the sticky pollen from the anther over the stigma.
In 1841, Beaumont was surprised to find that his orchids had suddenly produced green vanilla pods. Edmond told him that he had pollinated the plant himself. Beamont didn't believe him at first, but as more pods appeared, he asked him for a demonstration.
Soon after, La Réunion, then Île Bourbon, became a vanilla-producing nation, overtaking Mexico and transforming the economy of the entire island.
Production grew one ton per year between 1850 and 1860, to nearly 15 tons annually in the following decade, and to 60 tons annually in the early 1880s. The island was the world's leading producer. Vanilla found its way throughout the Western world and became a widely appreciated culinary ingredient.
The hand-pollination method soon spread to Mauritius, Comoros, Seychelles, Indonesia, and Madagascar.
While Indonesia briefly held the top position in production in 2007, most of the world’s natural vanilla is currently produced in Madagascar. The most abundant variety is the Planofolia species, also known as Bourbon vanilla, in reference to Bourbon Island, the historical name of La Réunion.
In 1848, when France outlawed slavery, the by then 19-year-old freed man left the plantation to work as a kitchen servant in the Capital of Saint-Denis, adopting the surname Albius.
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Sadly, Edmond Albius was never financially rewarded and barely recognised for his achievement. Imagine the controversy among the science community at the time, having been outsmarted by a young black boy. Another botanist, Jean Michel Claude Richard, even falsely claimed to have invented the technique years earlier, casting doubts on Edmond's credibility.
However, journals from his former master proved otherwise: Beaumont confirmed it was indeed the young Edmond Albius who, by curiosity and observation of nature, masterminded the technique of hand-pollination, which to this day remains the method of pollination throughout all vanilla-producing nations.
In 2004, a monument in his honour was constructed in his birth location of Sainte-Suzanne, Réunion. Opened in 2024, the Edmond Albius Vanilla Museum in Sambava is an additional tribute to his achievement.
Info-boards in English, French, and Malagasy document the evolution of the vanilla trade from a global perspective, including details about production methods employed by different vanilla-producing countries and regions.
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A graph of the wholesale US$ price index of vanilla since 1981 displays the highs and lows throughout recent history, affected by supply and demand, the impact of cyclones, etc.
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A world map displays the different areas' estimated production volumes. Visitors can compare samples from the different regions by appearance and fragrance.
Whether travelling through the region on holiday to a national park or visiting Sambava on business, a stop at the Edmond Albius Vanilla Museum is highly recommended.
The museum is located by Lake Antohomaro, 7km from Sambava, along the road leading to Antalaha.
A museum visit is best combined with a plantation visit to see the vanilla cultivation in nature, and what can be seen depends on the time of the year. Flowering and pollination, for example, occur from October through December.
Various vanilla products are available for sale at the museum, such as vanilla beans, vanilla caviar, vanilla rum, vanilla honey, and vanilla sugar.
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| Ms Perle RALISON (centre) with tour operators Barilala (left) and Richela from Cross-Nature Lovers Madagascar. |
Contact Ms Perle RALISON at +261 32 05 331 47 or email contact@vanilleraie.com to schedule an appointment with or without a tour guide. Set aside between one and two hours for a visit. The museum welcomes visitors throughout the year Monday through Saturday from 9am to 12pm and from 2pm to 5pm.
