Mus'Art Gallery: Grass-fields Arts Museum Cameroon, Kumbo, Cameroon Museums

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The Musa Heritage Gallery shortened Mus'Art Gallery is a museum focusing on the arts and crafts of Cameroon's Western Grassfields. Also known as the Grass-fields arts museum. It is an interesting stop for tourists travelling on the Bamenda ring road.

In line with the International Council of museums (ICOMs) definition of a museum as an institution at the service of society and of its development, Musa Heritage Gallery seeks to preserve and promote the Arts and Crafts of the Cameroon Grassfields. This region which comprises of the North West and West Provinces is widely recognised internationally for having produced masterpieces of the Arts and Crafts of Cameroon. Musa Heritage Gallery (shortened Mus'Art Gallery) therefore has as mission to make the Arts and Crafts of this region of Cameroon known publicly in Cameroon and internationally. This is done through a greater understanding and better appreciation of the material culture of the people of the Cameroon Grassfields as expressed by their varied and diverse art forms. Also active in the areas of Arts, Culture, Development & Music Information.This Museum is basically handled by the Musa family who are the proprietors of the Musa Heritage Gallery. It is worth noting that the Musa Heritage Gallery is named in memory of Cameroonian artists Daniel Kanjo Musa (1930 - 1995) and son John Yuniwo Musa (1956 - 1996). Peter Musa since the creation of the organisation in 1996 has served as its director.The Musa Heritage Gallery belongs to:-The Arts Council of the African Studies Association (ACASA).-The International Association of Music Libraries, Archives and Documentation Centres (IAML).-Culturelink Network.The Musa Heritage Gallery's collection and services are open to everyone without distinction of age, sex, nationality or religion.

The official tourism season at Mus'Art Gallery spans from the 1st October to the 30th June each year. During this period, groups of tourists can arrange with the museum for traditional dance troupes to animate before or after their visit on a fee.

Bags and Cameras are not allowed in the museum. Smoking is prohibited.

A visiting fee of 1500 Frs CFA is charged for visitors to the Museum. For animations by traditional dance troupes, a fee of 25.000 Frs per troupe is charged. A maximum of 3 troupes can be arranged for a visit. This is applicable to groups.

For the traditional dance troupes prior arrangement with the museum must be done well in advance. This will ensure that the troupes get prepared for the animation.

The museum is also active in the area of setting up information centres on Arts & Culture and on Cameroon's folk and contemporary music as well as music from other countries.

The Mus'Art Gallery is very easy to locate. From Kumbo squares move up towards the ring road. After the cathedral you will pass the catholic primary school (STS). The museum is on the street directly above St. Theresa Primary School (STS) Kumbo as you move towards Mbve. The museum building is almost at the end of the street on the left.

Centrally located within the heart of Kumbo town the Nso Fon's Palace, Kumbo Cathedral, Kumbo Main Market, Banso Baptist Hospital and Shisong Catholic Hospitals are places of interest and worth visiting. Oku with its second highest mountain in West Africa (Kilum) is also an interesting place to visit with her natural forests, numerous wood carvers and beautiful lake Oku. Visit the Fon of Oku at his palace at Elak. Kumbo is also not very far from Ndu with its beautiful tea estate, old baptist church house (colonial structure) standing side-by-side a modern church house and the Fon's Palace in Ndu are all places to visit.Foumban town is also not very far from Kumbo. The Palace of the Sultan is a place worth visiting with its rich museum created in 1902. Other museums are located there with numerous artisans and arts and craft shops.