National Museum of African Art

National Museum of African Art. The National Museum of African Art is one of the Smithsonian Institution's nineteen museums, with a collection of over 12,000 objects, including sculptures, masks, textiles, and photographs from Africa and its diaspora. The museum was founded by Warren M. Robbins in 1964 as the Museum of African Art, and it became part of the Smithsonian Institution in 1979, with the support of S. Dillon Ripley and Brooks Adams. The museum's mission is to inspire connoisseurship and appreciation of African art and culture, as seen in the works of Romare Bearden, Jacob Lawrence, and Faith Ringgold.

● History

The history of the National Museum of African Art is closely tied to the development of African art collections in the United States, with notable collectors such as Paul Tishman and Katherine White. The museum's founder, Warren M. Robbins, was a former United States Foreign Service officer who developed an interest in African art while serving in Dakar, Senegal, where he met Léopold Sédar Senghor and Cheikh Anta Diop. Robbins' collection of African art was initially exhibited at the Freer Gallery of Art and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, with the support of Thomas Lawton and J. Keith Wilson. In 1979, the museum became part of the Smithsonian Institution, with the support of S. Dillon Ripley and Brooks Adams, and it has since become a leading institution for the study and exhibition of African art, with collaborations with The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Museum of Modern Art, and the Tate Modern.

● Collections

The National Museum of African Art has a diverse collection of over 12,000 objects, including sculptures, masks, textiles, and photographs from Africa and its diaspora, with notable works by Yinka Shonibare, El Anatsui, and Kerry James Marshall. The collection includes objects from over 100 countries, including Egypt, South Africa, Nigeria, and Ethiopia, as well as works by African American artists such as Romare Bearden and Jacob Lawrence. The museum's collection also includes a significant number of objects from the Horn of Africa, including Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Djibouti, with the support of The Ethiopian Heritage Foundation and the Eritrean Cultural and Civic Center. The collection is particularly strong in the areas of Yoruba art from Nigeria, Dogon art from Mali, and Kongo art from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with notable works from the Royal Museum for Central Africa and the Musée du Quai Branly.

● Exhibitions

The National Museum of African Art has hosted a wide range of exhibitions over the years, including The Art of the Dogon and African Mosaics: A Century of African Art, with the support of The Ford Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts. The museum has also hosted exhibitions on African American art, including The African American Art: Harlem Renaissance to the Present and African American Art: The David C. Driskell Collection, with the support of The Studio Museum in Harlem and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. The museum's exhibitions have been recognized with numerous awards, including the National Medal of Arts and the American Alliance of Museums' Excellence in Exhibition Design Award, with the support of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

● Education and Programs

The National Museum of African Art offers a wide range of educational programs and activities for children and adults, including gallery tours, workshops, and lectures, with the support of The Smithsonian Women's Committee and the National Museum of African Art's Council. The museum also offers fellowships and internships for students and scholars, including the Warren M. Robbins Fellowship and the African Art Fellowship, with the support of The Ford Foundation and the Social Science Research Council. The museum's educational programs are designed to promote appreciation and understanding of African art and culture, with collaborations with The Africa Society and the African Studies Association.

● Building and Architecture

The National Museum of African Art is located in the National Mall in Washington, D.C., near the Smithsonian Castle and the National Museum of Natural History, with the support of The Smithsonian Institution's Office of Facilities Management and the National Park Service. The museum's building was designed by Jean Paul Carlhian and Hazen and Sawyer, and it features a unique architecture that reflects the cultures of Africa, with inspiration from the Great Mosque of Djenné and the Kairouan Mosque. The building includes a garden and a courtyard, as well as a museum shop and a cafe, with the support of The Smithsonian Institution's Office of Retail and Concessions and the National Museum of African Art's Friends Committee. The museum's building has been recognized with numerous awards, including the American Institute of Architects' Honor Award and the National Building Museum's Henry C. Turner Prize, with the support of The National Endowment for the Arts and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Category:African art museums