Smithsonian National Museum of African Art

Museums, Historical Sites, and ZoosDistrict of Columbia, United States11-50 Employees

The Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, based in Washington, DC, is a museum dedicated to the arts of Africa across time and media, focusing on collection, exhibition, conservation, and scholarly study. It maintains a permanent collection of about 12,500 objects and houses the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, which contains roughly 500,000 images. The institution organizes internationally recognized exhibitions and develops substantial education programs. Through these efforts, it serves as a leading resource for research and public engagement in African visual arts.

It holds the largest collection in the United States of historical and contemporary African visual arts, complemented by a world-class library, photographic archives, and art conservation lab. With a relatively small staff, it serves researchers, educators, students, and general audiences seeking access to its holdings and scholarly resources.

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