NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN ART

Victor Ekpuk (b. 1964), Nigeria. Composition #3, 2009. Graphite and pastel on paper. Gift of the artist and museum purchase.

950 Independence Avenue, SW. Entered from Enid A. Haupt Garden through ground-level pavilion. Open daily from 10 A.M. to 5:30 P.M.

Elisofon Photographic Archives (202-633-4690) and Robbins Library (202-633-4680) open weekdays by appointment. Closed December 25. Metrorail: Smithsonian station. Smithsonian information: 202-633-4690 africa.si.edu

Kota artist, Gabon. Reliquary guardian figure, late 19th–early 20th century. Wood, copper alloys, iron, and bone. Gift of Walt Disney World Co., a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company.

Founded in 1964 by Warren M. Robbins (1923–2008) to promote cross-cultural understanding through programs in the arts and social sciences, the National Museum of African Art is the nation’s only museum dedicated to the collection, exhibition, conservation, and study of the arts of Africa and its diasporas. It became part of the Smithsonian Institution in 1979. The museum’s collection of over 12,000 artworks is diverse in terms of time period, geography, and media.

Through its dynamic exhibitions, community outreach, and international collaborations, the National Museum of African Art seeks to inspire conversations about the beauty, power, and diversity of African arts and cultures worldwide.

Face mask, Chowke peoples, Democratic Republic of the Congo, early 20th century.

COLLECTIONS

The National Museum of African Art’s exhibitions present the finest examples of art from across the African continent in a wide range of mediums, spanning from 13th-century ceramics to 21st-century time-based media.

Bullom or Temne artist, Sapi-Portuguese style, Sierra Leone. Hunting horn, late 15th century. Ivory and metal. Gift of Walt Disney World Co., a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company.

In 2005, the museum acquired the Walt Disney–Tishman African Art Collection, which contains some of the most iconic works of African art. The museum is committed to the ongoing conservation, research, and display of this world-famous collection. The museum also boasts the largest collection of contemporary African art in the United States and, since 1966, has been actively acquiring the work of some of the world’s best-known artists, including El Anatsui, Sammy Baloji, William Kentridge, Julie Mehretu, and Lynette Yiadom-Boakye. The museum commissions works, including the first-ever land art exhibition installed on the National Mall.

Yinka Shonibare MBE (b. 1962), England. 19th Century Kid (Queen Victoria), 1999. Cloth, synthetic fiber, dyes, wood, metal, leather. Purchased with funds given in memory of Philip L. Ravenhill, the Sylvia H. Williams Memorial Fund for Acquisitions, Frieda B. Rosenthal, Barbara Croissant and Mark E. Baker.

DISCOVER!

The National Museum of African Art’s public programs highlight the visual arts of Africa as a catalyst to interdisciplinary teaching and learning, and actively promote a deeper understanding of Africa’s rich artistic heritage and cultures. This is exemplified by the museum’s Teen Ambassadors program, which empowers the next generation of arts leaders with in-gallery training. Teenagers become storytellers, connecting with visitors and providing outreach to local community groups.

Film screenings, guided tours, music and dance programs, scholarly symposia, workshops, and a family-friendly Discovery Room are among the free offerings to the public. Visit africa.si.edu/events for a complete schedule. Audiovisual loan programs, the collections database, downloadable lesson plans and curriculum guides, online exhibitions, and video conference distance learning expand the museum’s mission beyond its walls and connect visitors with Africa and the world.

Mohammed Ahmed Abdalla (b. 1935), Sudan. Vase, 1990. Porcelainous stoneware. Purchased with funds provided by the Smithsonian Collections Acquisition Program.

AT A GLANCE

Home to the nation’s collection of African art, the National Museum of African Art celebrates the rich visual traditions and the diverse cultures of Africa and its diasporas, from ancient to contemporary times. It fosters an appreciation of African art and civilizations through the collections, exhibitions, research, and public programs. The museum, located on the National Mall, houses its collections, galleries, education facilities, conservation laboratory, research library, and photographic archives.

Nontsikelelo “Lolo” Veleko (b. 1977), South Africa. Kepi in Bree Street; from the Beauty Is in the Eye of the Beholder series, 2006. Digital print with pigment dyes on cotton paper. Purchased with funds provided by the Annie Laurie Aitken Endowment.

RESEARCH FACILITIES

The National Museum of African Art is a leading research and reference center for the arts of Africa. The state-of-the-art conservation laboratory houses an x-radiography system with digital imaging and serves as an international authority on conserving African art, often collaborating with other institutions to analyze African art materials and resolve treatment problems. The Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives (EEPA), with 350,000 prints and transparencies, extensive unedited footage, and documentary films, specializes in the collection and preservation of visual materials on Africa’s arts, cultures, and environments. The Warren M. Robbins Library contains more than 50,000 volumes on African art and material culture. The museum continues to advance the field through a robust fellowship program for academics, artists, and conservators.

Bamum artist, Cameroon. Male figure, late 19th century. Wood, brass, cloth, glass beads, cowrie shells. Gift of Evelyn A.J. Hall and John A. Friede.

Stella Osarhiere Gbinigie, Benin City, Nigeria. Hand-colored photograph by Solomon Osagie Alonge, c. 1950. Chief S.O. Alonge Collection.

GENERAL INFORMATION

INFORMATION DESK

In the entrance pavilion

TOURS

Museum tours are offered for individuals on a walk-in basis at select times. Tours for school and community groups are available by appointment. To request a tour schedule or make an appointment, call 202-633-4646.

MUSEUM STORE

African jewelry, textiles, sculpture, musical recordings, books, exhibition catalogs, posters, and postcards are for sale.

PARTNERS PROGRAM

Partner with the National Museum of African Art! Donate and join the community at africa.si.edu/support.