Museum of West African Art (MOWAA), Benin City, has signed an agreement with the Cambridge University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology to enhance access to educational materials, archival and archaeological collections for West African scholars and professionals.
The partnership followed plans for opening of the museum’s building, MOWAA Institute, slated for this week.
MOWAA’s director, Ore Disu, said for too long, African cultural adherents had been excluded from discourse about their own artefacts, either due to visa issues, exorbitant travel costs, or denial of access to foreign museums.
The move by MOWAA will not only grant African creatives access to the best research and archives but offers mentoring opportunities to grow in their chosen field of expertise, he said.
“We are proud to provide access to the resources and archival materials of one of the world’s most prestigious universities right here at MOWAA. We commend Cambridge for its willingness to work towards a shared vision,” he added.
Director, Cambridge Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Professor Nicholas Thomas, said it keyed into its main objectives – which is to make accessible great historic collections and activate them through contemporary engagement.
