National Museum of African Art / Art and Programs / Resources

Curriculum resources

The following curriculum resources, developed for use in the classroom, include activities for elementary through high school students.

Mali Empire and Djenne figures

Portraits of Mali from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives

Baga drum, a figurative drum from Côte d'Ivoire

Ntan drum, an Asante drum from Ghana

Gavin Jantjes, a South African artist

Teacher services

Professional Development Workshops
3 hours
Maximum 25 participants
Introduce teachers and curriculum specialists to the museum's collections and educational resources. The workshops are tailored to the teachers' or specialists' interests. Contact Nicole Shivers at 202.633.4634 or e-mail shiversn@si.edu.

Curricular Consultations
To include African art in your curriculum, consult with museum staff about the possibilities and available resources. Contact Nicole Shivers at 202.633.4634 or e-mail shiversn@si.edu.

Video loans
Videotapes in VHS format are available for three-week loans throughout the year. Please allow two weeks for delivery and limit your request to two videos. Borrowers are responsible for return postage. To borrow a video, complete the online request form or call 202.633.4634 or fax 202.357.4879.

Poetics of Line: Seven Artists of the Nsukka Group
35 min., color, 1998
High School, Adult
Open-captioned version available
Seven Nigerian artists discuss their work and document the cultural traditions that inspire them.

The Art of West African Strip-Woven Cloth
12 min., color, 1987
Upper Elementary-High School, Adult
Open-captioned version available
Artisans–spinners, dyers, weavers and sewers–make strip-woven cloth with striking geometric patterns.

Ceramic Gestures: A Conversation with Magdalene Odundo
9 min., color, 1995
High School, Adult
Artworks of Kenyan ceramist Magdalene Odundo highlighted.

The Hands of the Potter
26 min., color, 1991
Elementary-High School, Adult
Sundi potter Hélène Tangui transforms moist clay into perfect vessels. Filmed in the Republic of the Congo by archaeologist Raymond Lanfranchi.

Masters of Brass: Lost-Wax Casting in Ghana
22 min., color, 1985
Junior High-High School, Adult
Open-captioned version available
Two Ghanaian casters create figurative sculpture and jewelry using the ancient technique of lost-wax casting.

Nagayati: Arts and Architecture among the Gabra Nomads of Kenya
50 min., color, 1991
High School, Adult
Nagayati documents a Gabra marriage ceremony in northern Kenya during which women create a new house and its furnishings.

Togu Na and Cheko: Change and Continuity in the Art of Mali
25 min., color, 1989
Upper Elementary-High School, Adult
Open-captioned version available
Features two distinct artistic traditions in present-day Mali--the architecture of the Dogon peoples and the puppet theater of the Bamana peoples.

Artist interviews

For the opening of Ethiopian Passages: Dialogues in the Diaspora, we asked each of the attending artists to comment on their work in relation to the exhibition's theme of relocation and diaspora.

Artist installations

Willem Boshoff installing "Sand." (Textures)

Fathi Hassan painting his "Untitled" mixed media piece. (Textures)

Conserving an Ethiopian Icon

X-Radiography

Radio Africa

The sounds that make up the diverse music of Africa are now yours to explore. Radio Africa streams, at no charge, complete tracks from the collections of Smithsonian Global Sound. From the rhythms of Benin to the wedding music of Ethiopia to the traditional Zulu music of South Africa to the parade music of Senegal, you'll never know what you'll hear next!

Explore the collection
African art embodies one of humanity's greatest achievements-the fusion of visual imagery with spiritual beliefs and social purpose. Discover Africa's rich cultural and artistic heritage by searching African Art's collection.

Art and Programs / Radio Africa / Research / About the Museum / Support Us / Playtime! / Explore the Collections / Calendar / Home