Sierra Leone National Museum, National museum in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
The Sierra Leone National Museum occupies two exhibition halls housed within a former railway station building at the junction of Siaka Stevens Street and Pademba Road. The collection includes traditional masks, crafted items, photographs, and objects that document the country's diverse histories and cultures.
The institution was established from the Monuments and Relics Commission founded in 1946 and officially opened in 1957 by Sir Milton Margai. Converting the railway station building into a museum marked the start of organized efforts to preserve objects documenting the nation's past.
The museum displays traditional masks and full-body costumes worn during ceremonies by different groups across Sierra Leone. Visitors can see how these objects remain important for cultural festivals and rituals today.
The museum is centrally located in Freetown and is easily reached on foot if you are near Siaka Stevens Street. Plan to visit on a weekday and allow enough time to explore both exhibition halls without rushing.
The museum holds a rare portrait photograph of Bai Bureh, a Temne leader who led a resistance against British colonial rule in 1898. This image is one of few surviving visual documents of this significant figure in the region's history of resistance.
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