Over 4 million people live in Accra, a thriving, international city. The capital of Ghana is bustling with cuisine, music, and transportation. Along with history, museums, culture, and crafts, one may find shopping, beaches, resorts, restaurants, and nightclubs of various kinds. There are plenty of something for everyone looking to explore the beautiful city if Ghana. And visiting museums in Accra will be one of your best travel experiences.
You may easily savour Accra’s atmosphere whether you are just stopping by before travelling somewhere or if you are here on business and want to explore. Visit any of the top museums in Accra and learn more about Ghana. From historical museums showcasing historical items to top art gallery museums in Accra.
Museums In Accra
The Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum
The first of its sort in the sub-region, Ghana gained independence from the British in 1957 and assumed control of its affairs, resources, and development. As the nation’s first prime minister and president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was one of the leaders of the independence movement.
This museum was created to preserve his legacy and contain his physical remains as well as literature, artefacts, and other items related to his life after his passing. Visitors learn about the history of the pan-African struggle as well as the contributions of Patrice Lumumba and Julius Nyerere, as well as other African leaders. It is still a popular location for travellers interested in learning how Ghana shaped post-colonial history.
The Museum of Science And Technology
Just a few metres separate the Museum of Science and Technology from the National Museum. It exhibits items that represent Ghana’s advancement in science from pre-colonial times to the present. Everything from prehistoric hand axes and other basic farm equipment to intricate machinery like helicopters and bamboo bicycles, designed and constructed by Ghanaians, can be found there.
The museum also hosts the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology’s School of Fine Art’s graduation exhibition, which features some of the finest examples of modern visual and performing arts.
The National Museum
Visit the National Museum in Accra if you wish for a more thorough understanding of Ghana’s historical and present histories. The ultimate knowledge base on the numerous cultural aspects of the Ghanaian people, including their languages, chieftaincy systems, meals, clothing, and handicrafts, is housed in the National Museum of Ghana, which was founded in 1957.
Three main divisions of the museum are Ethnography, Archaeology, and Arts. The works of well-known Ghanaian modern artists such El Anatsui and Ablade Glover can be found in the Arts section. The magnificent sculpture garden at the museum is another place you may relax.
W.E.B. Du Bois Museum
The historical importance of Ghana extends beyond pan-Africanism and the leaders who sparked the movement on the continent; it also includes the African diaspora. At the invitation of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, African-American academic and pan-Africanist William Edward Burghardt “W.E.B.” Du Bois relocated to Ghana in the 1950s to assist in the establishment of the new country.
This connection between Africans in their homeland and the diaspora is remembered in his exhibit at the W.E.B. Du Bois Center. Visitors can anticipate finding his writings as well as those of other significant individuals like Marcus Garvey and George Padmore in addition to lectures, photographs, and other publications. The museum is one of the top museums in Accra for students looking to learn more about Pan-Africanism.
Nubuke Foundation
Since 2009, the Nubuke Foundation has called this space its first permanent home. One of the city’s most significant art galleries, devoted to Ghanaian visual art, culture, and heritage, is housed in this charming structure in East Legon. It was created to give Ghanaian artists a place to express themselves artistically (sometimes in partnership with artists from other nations). It also has a charitable objective to aid craftspeople across the nation.
One successful project involved training kente cloth weavers in Tsiame, in the Volta Region, how to manufacture cloth that is more appealing to consumers (bedding and tablecloths, for example), as well as upgrading weaving processes like colour fixing. Beautiful pieces of work are the outcomes, and they may be purchased in its shop for between GH100 and GH600 for two yards. Poetry nights, Saturday workshops, art walks, film screenings, and music are just a few of its diverse cultural offerings.
Jamestown Lighthouse
Built in the 1930s, this lighthouse has a colonial design. There are no gift shops or ticket booths here, therefore it is not a typical tourist destination. However, if you stray more than 20 metres, a “guide” will unavoidably approach you and offer to take you to the summit for a few cedis (often about GH5 per person). The (perhaps not very safe) spiral staircase leads to a good panoramic view if you’re willing to pay the price.
Osu Castle
According to Google, “museum is a building in which historical, scientific, artistic, or cultural interest are stored and exhibited’’. If so then Osu Castle can be classify as one of the top museums in Accra since it showcase some historical items and all of that.
Osu Castle’s turbulent past is a reflection of Ghana’s turbulent history. Danish colonists constructed what was formerly known as Christiansborg Castle in 1659 on property they had acquired from an Accra tribal chief. The fort, which was smaller than the existing structure, was passed between the Portuguese, Swedish, and Danish during the course of the next 100 years. Sometimes it was bought, and other times it was seized by force. The Akwamu ethnic group formerly seized the fort in 1693 for a number of months before their cunning commander, Assameni, sold it back to the Danish for 50 marks of gold, or about US$350,000 in today’s money. The keys, however, are still held symbolically by the Akwamu and were never formally given back to the Danish.
The British restored the majority of the fort in 1824 after it had fallen into disrepair, and it was used as the capital of the British Gold Coast from that time until independence in 1957. In 1960, Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah, relocated there. Only a few government ministries have relocated to Golden Jubilee House, despite plans for the entire government to do so at the beginning of 2009. The slave trade, which was mostly managed from the structure and which was frequently used to keep captives before they were transported to the Americas, is constantly and painfully brought to mind by Osu Castle. There are a number of plans in the works to transform it into a museum, but nothing finalised as of yet.
Artists Alliance Gallery
An overview of the Ghanaian art scene can be found at Artists Alliance Gallery, a three-story tower overlooking the sea that exhibits traditional crafts and contemporary artwork. Bring lots of cash because there are humorous contemporary artworks on show alongside Ashanti drums, carved masks, and other traditional objects.
Gallery 1957
On Ghana’s Independence Day in 2016, Marwan Zakhem established Gallery 1957, which has since expanded to three Accra gallery spaces and focuses on global exchanges amongst current West African art practises. In October 2020, Gallery 1957’s London site opened, giving artists from Africa and the diaspora a new venue to exhibit their work. Among the museums in Ghana, this one is the most frequented by people from the African diaspora.
By hosting a schedule of exhibits, installations, and performances by the most significant artists in the area, Gallery 1957 creates a connection between local and international audiences. Beyond its diverse list of artists and exhibitions, Ghana has welcomed many foreign artists and arts professionals and encouraged them to engage further with the dynamic contemporary art scene there through its artist residency programme and international gallery collaborations.
Through a public programme that includes fairs, seminars, off-site projects, site-specific installation commissions, the printing of publications and catalogues, as well as the support of cultural initiatives in Ghana and elsewhere, Gallery 1957’s work extends beyond the boundaries of the gallery.
Kane Kwei Carpentry Workshop
The workshop’s founder, Kane Kwei, has a lengthy and illustrious career. He was an enthusiastic coffin designer who carved coffins with the fervour of the deceased in order to produce coffins of the highest calibre. It is one of the main tourist spots in the Greater Accra Region and features wonderful artwork that astounds and delights many visitors.