National Museum is ranked among the most important in sub-Saharan Africa, Far and away the highlight is the paleontological exhibition in the basement, the home of world-famous Lucy. Her 1974 discovery in the Afar region of northwestern Ethiopia changed our understanding of human origins forever. also here is the fossilised evidence of some amazing extinct creatures, like the massive sabre-toothed feline Homotherium and the gargantuan savannah pig Notochoerus. The periphery of the ground floor focuses on the pre-Aksumite, Aksumite, Solomonic and Gonderian periods. The wide array of artefacts includes an elaborate pre-1st-century-AD bronze oil lamp showing a dog chasing an ibex, a fascinating 4th-century-BC rock-hewn chair emblazoned with mythical ibexes, and ancient Sabaean inscriptions. On the 1st floor, there’s a vivid display of Ethiopian art ranging from early (possibly 14th-century) parchment to 20th-century canvas oil paintings by leading modern artists.