The Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) in Benin City, Nigeria, has announced that it will officially open to the public on the 11th of November 2025.
Initially announced in 2020, the MOWAA campus is designed as a 15-acre complex that will feature the MOWAA Institute for research and education, the Rainforest Gallery for contemporary art exhibitions, the Art Guesthouse boutique hotel, the Artisans’ Hall performance venue, among other facilities. MOWAA is an independent, non-profit institution dedicated to the preservation of heritage, the expansion of knowledge and the celebration of West African arts and culture.
Institute director Ore Disu had this to say, “Globally, museums are increasingly being asked to justify their existence, whether it’s by way of funding cuts, restitution or falling visitor numbers. What’s important for us at MOWAA is to be truly embedded in building contextually relevant practices, regenerating African cites and scholarship, and using art as a catalyst for real impact.”
The Institute provides 48,000 square feet for archaeological research, conservation, art storage and public programs. MOWAA is organising exhibition tours, talks, workshops and neighbourhood activations to celebrate the opening. The inaugural exhibition, Nigeria Imaginary Homecoming, as curated by Aindrea Emelife, art historian and curator of modern and contemporary art at MOWAA, will be displayed across campus buildings and will run until the 26th of April 2026.
The launch will be preceded by a two-day series of preview events. There will also be guided tours and a city-wide lineup of talks and workshops. MOWAA has also announced the formation of an Artist Council to ensure that the museum’s programming remains artist-led. Members will serve two-year terms, providing mentorship in education and residency programmes and advising on exhibitions and research projects. The building of the entire campus is expected to be finished by 2028.
