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Saturday October 11th 2008 |
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Saturday October 11th 2008 |
a non-profit education organization | |
September 28
The museum was originally housed in the Washington residence of African-American abolitionist Frederick Douglass. It is a celebration of the visual arts and cultures of Africa. It opened in a new building on the National Mall on this date in 1989. The National Museum collects and exhibits art from throughout Africa. The collection, which dates from antiquity to the present, includes traditional masks and figures, textiles, costumes and jewelry, furniture and household objects, and architectural elements, as well as modern sculpture, paintings, prints, and ceramics. Notable aspects of the collection include objects from the Republic of Benin that illustrate life in that region of western Africa between the 14th century and the beginning of French rule at the end of the 19th century. The museum's collection of utilitarian objects—-stools, headrests, baskets, vessels, and other items-—reflects the blend of form and function in African art. The richness of African art and culture is also represented by remarkable examples of pottery from central Africa and textiles from sub-Saharan Africa. The exhibition program highlights the permanent collection and also features traveling exhibitions from other institutions. A variety of public programs introduce the public to the richness of traditional African arts and cultures. For a visual record of life and art in Africa, researchers can consult the museum's Photographic Archives, which has more than 300,000 photographic images as well as extensive film and video footage. Reference: NMAFA
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The African American Registry®, The African American Registry® Copyright 2005, 2006
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