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Nigeria prides itself of many things. Rich culture and tradition. Fascinating places. Hospitable people. Over the years, before the advent of the Europeans, and even till date, so many of our cultural works, and arts are glorified essence of our culture, and what our traditional setting reflects. In preservation of these rich materials and culture for generations to come, they are housed in museums across the country. Here is a list of some of these museums.
1. Esie Museum: Opened in 1945, Esie museum is adjudged to be the first museum in Nigeria. It is reputed to have the largest collection of soapstone images in the world. Currently, the Esie museum is being used for religious activities and it hosts a festival annually. Esie museum situated in Esie, Kwara State.
2. Gidan Makama Museum: The museum is located on Emir Palace road in Kano. It has 11 galleries that display several traditional Kanawa artefacts, musical instruments, pictures and materials. Gidan Makama Museum served as a palace and was built in the 15th century. The galleries were the rooms and courtyards of the old Makamas (Royal Lords) and depict the style of a traditional residence of a Kano aristocrat.
3. Benin City National Museum: Located in Benin city (the city center on King’s square), is a museum that houses quite a number of important and ancient artefacts related to the Benin Empire such as terracotta, cast iron samples and bronze pieces.
4. Jos Museum: Jos museum has the finest specimens of Nok terracotta heads and artefacts. Originally National Museum, it was established in 1952 by Bernard Fagg. It’s an important center of research into the prehistoric culture of Nigeria.
5. Owo Museum: Owo Museum is in Owo, Ondo State. It was founded in 1968 and it houses royal artifacts, cultural artworks and old pieces. Due to its proximity to Ife and Benin, it houses lovely artifacts from both traditions.
6. Kanta Museum: In Argungu, Kebbi State, lies an ancient museum which was formerly erected in early 19th century as a palace. The Kanta Museum joined the unique league of Nigerian museums in 1958 and currently has a notable collection of weapons, local ammunition and drums.
7. National Gallery of Modern Art: Located in the National Art Theater at Iganmu, Lagos, is a museum that personifies everything Nigerian. It showcases pictures of past Head of States of Nigeria, pictures of literary giants, contemporary arts, bronze works, modern sculpture, ceramics, glass painting and textile arts.
8. National War Museum: The National war museum was established to preserve Nigeria’s war artefacts and to serve as a center for research and information on warfare in Nigeria. The War Museum has three major galleries were visitors can see old ammunition and war gadgets used during the Nigerian civil war.
9. Nigerian National Museum: Founded in 1957 by Kenneth Murray, an English archaeologist, is the Nigerian National Museum, located in Onikan, Lagos. It has a remarkable collection of Nigerian artworks which includes; pieces of statuary and carvings, archaeological and cultural artworks.
10. Oron Museum: Built to house eight hundred ancestral figures known as “ekpu” of the Oron people, is the Oron Museum. It was established in 1958 and is believed to comprise of the oldest and finest surviving wood carvings in Africa. Oron is in Akwa Ibom State.
11. Badagry Heritage Museum: This museum is made up of 8 galleries and is a home of different artefacts, records and culture of the Badagry people. The galleries are named after different periods of the slave era and contain items and records that date back to the pre-slave era, he slave era and the post slave era.
12. National Musuem Abeokuta: This museum celebrates the rich history of Abeokuta, the capital city of Ogun state and an evergreen Yoruba culture. It boasts of artefacts and records from the pre-colonial times, the colonial era and post-colonial times.
13. National History Museum, OAU: If nothing more, the architectural finishing of the National History Museum at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile -Ife will wow you. The museum was officially commissioned on February 25, 2011, after 30 years abandonment by successive administrations. The idea of having a Natural History of Museum in the university was hatched in 1971 when the then management of the university conceived the idea of establishing a standard edifice repository for scientific materials. To kick-start the project, the university in 1973 launched an endowment fund for the purpose of raising fund for the building. In January 1974, the Natural History Museum was established as an autonomous unit starting with the collection of the exhibits of the Zoology department of the university, making it the second of such in the whole of West Africa.
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National Commission for Museums and Monuments in Nigeria
1. Esie Museum: Opened in 1945, Esie museum is adjudged to be the first museum in Nigeria. It is reputed to have the largest collection of soapstone images in the world. Currently, the Esie museum is being used for religious activities and it hosts a festival annually. Esie museum situated in Esie, Kwara State.
2. Gidan Makama Museum: The museum is located on Emir Palace road in Kano. It has 11 galleries that display several traditional Kanawa artefacts, musical instruments, pictures and materials. Gidan Makama Museum served as a palace and was built in the 15th century. The galleries were the rooms and courtyards of the old Makamas (Royal Lords) and depict the style of a traditional residence of a Kano aristocrat.
3. Benin City National Museum: Located in Benin city (the city center on King’s square), is a museum that houses quite a number of important and ancient artefacts related to the Benin Empire such as terracotta, cast iron samples and bronze pieces.
4. Jos Museum: Jos museum has the finest specimens of Nok terracotta heads and artefacts. Originally National Museum, it was established in 1952 by Bernard Fagg. It’s an important center of research into the prehistoric culture of Nigeria.
5. Owo Museum: Owo Museum is in Owo, Ondo State. It was founded in 1968 and it houses royal artifacts, cultural artworks and old pieces. Due to its proximity to Ife and Benin, it houses lovely artifacts from both traditions.
6. Kanta Museum: In Argungu, Kebbi State, lies an ancient museum which was formerly erected in early 19th century as a palace. The Kanta Museum joined the unique league of Nigerian museums in 1958 and currently has a notable collection of weapons, local ammunition and drums.
7. National Gallery of Modern Art: Located in the National Art Theater at Iganmu, Lagos, is a museum that personifies everything Nigerian. It showcases pictures of past Head of States of Nigeria, pictures of literary giants, contemporary arts, bronze works, modern sculpture, ceramics, glass painting and textile arts.
8. National War Museum: The National war museum was established to preserve Nigeria’s war artefacts and to serve as a center for research and information on warfare in Nigeria. The War Museum has three major galleries were visitors can see old ammunition and war gadgets used during the Nigerian civil war.
9. Nigerian National Museum: Founded in 1957 by Kenneth Murray, an English archaeologist, is the Nigerian National Museum, located in Onikan, Lagos. It has a remarkable collection of Nigerian artworks which includes; pieces of statuary and carvings, archaeological and cultural artworks.
10. Oron Museum: Built to house eight hundred ancestral figures known as “ekpu” of the Oron people, is the Oron Museum. It was established in 1958 and is believed to comprise of the oldest and finest surviving wood carvings in Africa. Oron is in Akwa Ibom State.
11. Badagry Heritage Museum: This museum is made up of 8 galleries and is a home of different artefacts, records and culture of the Badagry people. The galleries are named after different periods of the slave era and contain items and records that date back to the pre-slave era, he slave era and the post slave era.
12. National Musuem Abeokuta: This museum celebrates the rich history of Abeokuta, the capital city of Ogun state and an evergreen Yoruba culture. It boasts of artefacts and records from the pre-colonial times, the colonial era and post-colonial times.
13. National History Museum, OAU: If nothing more, the architectural finishing of the National History Museum at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile -Ife will wow you. The museum was officially commissioned on February 25, 2011, after 30 years abandonment by successive administrations. The idea of having a Natural History of Museum in the university was hatched in 1971 when the then management of the university conceived the idea of establishing a standard edifice repository for scientific materials. To kick-start the project, the university in 1973 launched an endowment fund for the purpose of raising fund for the building. In January 1974, the Natural History Museum was established as an autonomous unit starting with the collection of the exhibits of the Zoology department of the university, making it the second of such in the whole of West Africa.
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National Commission for Museums and Monuments in Nigeria