Oron Museum, National museum in Calabar, Nigeria
The Oron Museum is a national museum in Calabar that houses around eight hundred carved wooden figures from several centuries of local craftsmanship. The collection also includes ancient trade objects, such as metal pieces and other artifacts from the regional population.
The museum was founded in 1958 and focuses on preserving objects connected to the region's past and its role in trade history. The collection documents the development of the Oron community across long periods.
The collection displays objects that were used in daily life and rituals among the Oron people, from carved pieces to crafted items. Visitors can see how these objects reflect the values and practices of a community that passed its skills down through generations.
The museum is open seven days a week for visitors, including weekends and public holidays. It is worth allowing enough time to view the extensive collection at your own pace.
The collection contains Ekpu-Oro carvings that are among the oldest surviving wooden sculptures in Africa, dating back several centuries. These rare works showcase the skilled craftsmanship of earlier generations and are often overlooked by visitors despite being among the museum's most important pieces.
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