Celebrating Africa's Rich Heritage and Vibrant Culture This Africa Month
Africa Day, celebrated every year on May 25th, marks the 1963 founding of the African Union. It's a significant moment to celebrate African unity, culture, and the continent's remarkable achievements. In this spirit, Google Arts & Culture is launching more than 100 new exhibits curated by our partners – leading museums, galleries, and academic institutions from across the continent.
The opening of the Sierra Leone National Museum, 1957. Courtesy of the Sierra Leone National Museum
A few highlights:
The Heritage of Sierra Leone with Sierra Leone's National Museum
The Sierra Leone National Museum stands as a resilient testament to the country’s rich cultural heritage, marking our very first partner in Sierra Leone. Learn about the country’s national treasures, its lantern traditions, or the significance of Ronko and Country Cloths worn by chiefs, hunters and warriors.
As Hon. Nabeela Farida Tun, Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, states: "A nation's art and culture represent an integral part of its collective identity and history - and the richness and diversity of Sierra Leone's cultural heritage is beyond doubt. The launch of Sierra Leone on Google Arts and Culture is a welcome initiative, as it promises to improve access to our invaluable historical resources, shine light on hidden artistic landmarks, and help reimagine Sierra Leone's cultural ecosystem.”
A photo of the McMillan Memorial Library in Nairobi, Kenya. Courtesy of the Book Bunk Foundation
The Significance of Libraries in Kenya with the Book Bunk Foundation
On a mission to restore public access libraries, Book Bunk co-founders Wanjiru Koinange and Angela Wachuka bring a century of stories from Nairobi's iconic McMillan Memorial Library online. Step inside the interiors of the McMillan Memorial Library through an audio narrated virtual tour, discover who the library is named after, and explore how Book Bunk are preserving Kenyan history through the McMillan library archive collection.
"The McMillan Memorial Library stands as a testament to Nairobi's rich history and its complex past," say Koinange and Wachuka. "We're excited to open the doors of this historic landmark to the world, with a collection of stories that allow everyone to explore the library's journey and its role in shaping Nairobi's cultural landscape."
An image of Wa Naa’s Palace in Wa, Ghana. Courtesy of Nubuke Foundation
Ghana’s History and Contemporary Art Scene with Nubuke Foundation
Nubuke Foundation is dedicated to preserving, recording, and promoting arts and culture in Ghana.
Odile Tevie, Director of Nubuke Foundation, invites users to "discover the historical significance of Wa Naa's Palace, experience Wa Market's culinary delights, admire the unique art form of Ghana's hand-painted movie ads and learn about Cecilia Lamptey-Botchway's powerful artworks, among other fascinating stories."
Gideon Asmah: Ramane with his bicycle (2024). Courtesy of Nuku Studio
Continue the journey
Discover the Sukur Cultural Landscape, Nigeria’s first UNESCO heritage site, with the African International Documentary Festival. Celebrate Trees and Nature in Art with the East African Museum of Art in Nairobi. Groove through 70 Years of Nigerian music with Pop Central. Explore contemporary visual culture - in Uganda with Milele Arts Lab, and in Ghana with Nuku Studio. Then, pore over the rich traditions of Ethiopian coffee, while exploring the Norval Foundation sculpture garden in Cape Town.
The full collection of 100+ new stories shared today joins more than three thousand stories on Google Arts & Culture curated by partners from across Africa. And given the continent’s long history and heritage, there are many more stories to be told.
Download the Google Arts & Culture mobile app for Android and iOS to explore the stories and celebrate the richness and diversity of African culture this Africa Day.
