Ghana's Museums stagnate

As a nation richly blessed with cultural offerings, are Ghana's museums funded and given the proper backing from the state and public? There are eight museums in Ghana, is this numerically representative of the vast history Ghana can boast of and its growing tourism industry?

The National Museum in Accra was opened on the 5th March 1957, the eve of Ghana's Independence. With three main galleries inside, it undoubtedly represents Ghana's past, cultural offerings and traditions.

Interestingly, the museum is a profitable organization in spite of receiving very little state investment. Alternatively, they rely on other bodies to finance their stability and growth. As the focal point of Accra's museums, surely it warrants a greater level of funding from the state and increased patronage from its local population?

A spokesperson for the museum in Accra said - “the state could do more to invest in our museum, especially in Accra where we only have three museums, but they don't seem to have the will to support us. We have to use private entities for funding."

In addition to this, she said the museum was largely visited by tourists rather than Ghanaians, arguing that more should be done to attract the local populace to their museums.

There is potential for the expansion of Ghana's museum industry as tourists flock to their doors during the peak season of July and October. Yet, without state funding in the GMMB (Ghana Museums & Monuments board), the legal organisation responsible for the prevention of Ghana's material cultural heritage, it risks stagnating as an industry.

Should a country with Ghana's rich history have to rely solely on private entities for investment in its museums? The National Museum in Accra deserves more funding from the governing bodies in order to grow and develop. Understanding ones past, cultural offerings and traditions is fundamental in a productive society.