Liberian National Museum
Encyclopedia
The National Museum of Liberia is a national museum
in Monrovia
, Liberia
. Initially housed in the First Executive Mansion on Ashmond Street
of the city which is now used as a library, it was established by an Act of the National Legislature
in 1958 under the administration of Liberia's 18th President, Dr William V.S. Tubman. Partly funded by UNESCO
, in coordination with the Department of Public instructions (what is now the Liberian Ministry of Education), its primary goal was to obtain, preserve and display cultural artefacts and other historical items which depict the country's heritage.
In 1972, the museum was relocated to a new building on Providence Island
but four years later this building was removed to facilitate the construction of the People's Bridge over the Mesurado River
.
It was later moved to the Old Supreme Court building and formally reopened on July 25, 1987 with a ceremony given by the Vice President of Liberia, Harry F. Moniba.
s and cartographical resources related to its culture. On display is the nations first flag dating back to August 1847. There are also other items ranging from postage stamps to an editorial page of Liberia's daily newspaper, the Liberia Herald
. Other items include traditional Liberian household furniture and utensils, and there is a craft shop run by the African Arts & Crafts Inc.
On the next floor is the Ethnographical Gallery and on the top floor the contemporary arts gallery which illustrates Liberian artistic works many of which are product of a contract between the museum and art institutions and art colleges throughout the country where artists are commissioned to produce for the museum purposes.
Other museum facilities include a portable video system, editing and archival materials, cassette
recordings and slides of visual and oral arts many of which offer an insight into Liberian cultures such as dance and the use of mask
s in the country.
s. According to the director of the museum Caesar Harris approximately 5,000 artifacts were looted during this period and now less than 100 larger artifacts remain. Still intact though is a 250-year-old dining table given as gift from Queen Victoria to Liberia's first President, Joseph Jenkins Roberts
. During the war, valuable museum items were often sold to fleeing expatriates and the museum itself came under fire during rebel attacks in 2003. However, although the war severely affected the content of the museum today it also has items which offer an insight into the war itself.
National museum
A national museum is a museum maintained by a nation.The following is a list of national museums:-Australia:*Australian National Aviation Museum*Australian National Maritime Museum*, Sydney*Australian War Memorial*Museum Victoria...
in Monrovia
Monrovia
Monrovia is the capital city of the West African nation of Liberia. Located on the Atlantic Coast at Cape Mesurado, it lies geographically within Montserrado County, but is administered separately...
, Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
. Initially housed in the First Executive Mansion on Ashmond Street
Ashmond Street
Ashmond Street is a main thoroughfare of Monrovia, Liberia. It crosses the city in a north-west to south-easterly direction in alignment with the coast but several hundred yards away. It houses some of the most important buildings in the city including the Liberian National Museum which was...
of the city which is now used as a library, it was established by an Act of the National Legislature
Legislature of Liberia
The Legislature of Liberia is bicameral, consisting of a Senate and House of Representatives , in the same manner as the Congress of the United States....
in 1958 under the administration of Liberia's 18th President, Dr William V.S. Tubman. Partly funded by UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
, in coordination with the Department of Public instructions (what is now the Liberian Ministry of Education), its primary goal was to obtain, preserve and display cultural artefacts and other historical items which depict the country's heritage.
History
The museum remained under the Department of Public instructions until 1965 when it became the responsibility of the Department of information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism. In 1981 this detached to form the National Bureau of Culture & Tourism of which the museum operated under through much of the 1980s until June 1987 when it was dissolved and returned to the control of the Department of Information.In 1972, the museum was relocated to a new building on Providence Island
Providence Island
Providence Island may refer to:*Providencia Island, part of the Archipelago of San Andres, Providencia and Santa Catalina in Colombia, which was settled by the Providence Island Company*Providence Island is an island*Providence Atoll in Seychelles...
but four years later this building was removed to facilitate the construction of the People's Bridge over the Mesurado River
Mesurado River
Mesurado River is a river of Liberia. It flows through the capital of Monrovia and is crossed by the People’s Bridge, built in the 1970s..-External links:*...
.
It was later moved to the Old Supreme Court building and formally reopened on July 25, 1987 with a ceremony given by the Vice President of Liberia, Harry F. Moniba.
Museum layout
The museum is classified in three tiers, where on the ground floor there is a histographical gallery containing presidential papers, private documents and memoirs of past important executives of the Liberian government and photographPhotograph
A photograph is an image created by light falling on a light-sensitive surface, usually photographic film or an electronic imager such as a CCD or a CMOS chip. Most photographs are created using a camera, which uses a lens to focus the scene's visible wavelengths of light into a reproduction of...
s and cartographical resources related to its culture. On display is the nations first flag dating back to August 1847. There are also other items ranging from postage stamps to an editorial page of Liberia's daily newspaper, the Liberia Herald
Liberia Herald
The Liberia Herald, founded in 1826 is the first newspaper ever published in Liberia which at the time was a colony. It was founded by Charles Force, an American freed slave who died shortly after....
. Other items include traditional Liberian household furniture and utensils, and there is a craft shop run by the African Arts & Crafts Inc.
On the next floor is the Ethnographical Gallery and on the top floor the contemporary arts gallery which illustrates Liberian artistic works many of which are product of a contract between the museum and art institutions and art colleges throughout the country where artists are commissioned to produce for the museum purposes.
Other museum facilities include a portable video system, editing and archival materials, cassette
Compact Cassette
The Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a magnetic tape sound recording format. It was designed originally for dictation, but improvements in fidelity led the Compact Cassette to supplant the Stereo 8-track cartridge and reel-to-reel...
recordings and slides of visual and oral arts many of which offer an insight into Liberian cultures such as dance and the use of mask
Mask
A mask is an article normally worn on the face, typically for protection, disguise, performance or entertainment. Masks have been used since antiquity for both ceremonial and practical purposes...
s in the country.
Effects of the Liberian civil war
The national museum was deeply affected by the 14 years of war during the First and Second Liberian Civil WarSecond Liberian Civil War
The Second Liberian Civil War began in 1999 when a rebel group backed by the government of neighbouring Guinea, the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy , emerged in northern Liberia. In early 2003, a second rebel group, the Movement for Democracy in Liberia, emerged in the south, and...
s. According to the director of the museum Caesar Harris approximately 5,000 artifacts were looted during this period and now less than 100 larger artifacts remain. Still intact though is a 250-year-old dining table given as gift from Queen Victoria to Liberia's first President, Joseph Jenkins Roberts
Joseph Jenkins Roberts
Joseph Jenkins Roberts was the first and seventh President of Liberia. Born free in Norfolk, Virginia, USA, Roberts emigrated to Liberia in 1829 as a young man. He opened a trading store in Monrovia, and later engaged in politics...
. During the war, valuable museum items were often sold to fleeing expatriates and the museum itself came under fire during rebel attacks in 2003. However, although the war severely affected the content of the museum today it also has items which offer an insight into the war itself.