Benin City National Museum, National museum at King's Square, Benin City, Nigeria
The museum in Benin City is a three-floor institution displaying collections of terracotta and bronze figures, cast iron pieces, and traditional artifacts from the Benin Empire. The rooms showcase both skilled craftsmanship and everyday objects that reflect the life and culture of this historical civilization.
The institution was founded in 1944 under the direction of Oba Akenzua II and initially housed antiquities within the palace. When it relocated to its current location in 1973, it became a separate establishment open to visitors.
The exterior displays a 1976 mosaic by artist Jimoh Buraimoh showing a court scene with the Oba and his chiefs dressed in traditional ceremonial clothing. The artwork reflects the connection between local artistic expression and the region's royal heritage.
Plan to spend adequate time exploring all three floors of the collection carefully. The lighting in some areas is dimmed, so it helps to move slowly and allow time to observe the details of each piece.
The ground floor displays reconstructed royal altars and pre-1897 artifacts, many of which were repurchased from British collections after colonial times. These objects tell a story of cultural recovery and show how local treasures returned to their place of origin.
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