Introduction
West African museums are as diverse as West African cultures. They include history museums, research institutes, open-air museums, privately owned museums, and religious sites. Major influences on the type, size, and constitution of the museums include factors such as remnant or sourced artifacts and collections, religious prominence (Islam, Christianity, and African traditional religions), and the availability of financial support. A common thread is the display of vibrant and dynamic cultures.
While the treasures and artifacts of West Africa are routinely displayed in the museums of former colonial powers, such as the British Museum in the United Kingdom and the Ethnologisches Museum in Germany, support is needed to protect, conserve, and display the collections held by museums in West Africa itself.
Definition
The Sahara Desert to the north borders the region of West Africa while the Atlantic Ocean borders the western and southern areas of the region. The region of West...
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References
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Further Reading
Ardouin, C.D. (ed.) 1997. Museums & archaeology in West Africa. Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press.
Ardouin, C.D. & E.N. Arinze. (ed.) 1995, Museums & the community in West Africa. Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press.
- 2002. Museums & urban culture in West Africa. Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press.
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Lindsay, D. (2014). West Africa: Museums. In: Smith, C. (eds) Encyclopedia of Global Archaeology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-0465-2_217
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