Assistant Curator

  Ghana

• Accra: 
Accra

Term: Throughout the year 
Dates: Throughtout the year

Description: The National Museum in Accra is the largest and oldest of six public museums in Ghana. It was opened on 5th March, 1957 by the late Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent. Ghana's national museum is a premier museum showcasing exhibits from every part of the African continent. This museum is home to a wide array of exhibits such as indigenous Ghanaian musical instruments, gold-weights, stools, and ancient masks from all over Africa.

The exhibits housed under the two-tiered rotunda of the museum comprise much more than Ghanaian culture alone, and include a collection from neighbouring West African countries as well. The museum exhibits items from other parts of West Africa such as the popular Senfu masks from La Cote D'Ivoire and the ancient Ife bronze heads from Nigeria. Also on display are numerous artifacts from East and Southern Africa, a particular highlight for most visitors being the wooden figures and bead-ware of the widely-known Zulu tribe.

One of the museum's ground-floor wings is devoted to temporary exhibitions which can range from contemporary dyed fabrics to traditional and sacred artifacts such as the celebrated Ashanti ancestor stools. The walls of these exhibition halls are lined with samples of traditional Ghanaian garments known as Kente, each of whose symbolic woven designs has its own rich meaning. Certain designs of kente are reserved for royalty and top dignitaries and cannot be purchased by the general public.

The museum is open to the public from 9am until 5pm each day, and has a regular stream of visitors, mainly tourists seeking to discover Africa's cultural heritage. Temporary exhibitions are held not only by the National Museum but also by individuals and foreign embassies. Guided tours are provided and films on some aspects of Ghanaian culture are shown by the staff of the Education Section to further enlighten visitors.

Highlights: The Intern
The Ghana National Museum requires an assistant curator to care for, develop, display and interpret their collection of exhibits in order to inform, educate and entertain the public. The intern will also assist with planning and modifying guided tours.

The role will include some or all of the following:
- Planning, organising, interpreting and presenting exhibitions and guided tours.
- Talking to individual and group visitors about exhibits.
- Assisting with choosing and acquiring the exhibits to be displayed in the museum.
- Offering input on how exhibits should be displayed and the order in which they should appear.
- Determining permanent and temporary exhibits.
- Assisting with the organization of educational and public outreach programmes such as lectures and tours, to publicize exhibits on display at the museum.

Qualifications: The intern should have a keen interest and relevant background in museum curating. The intern should have reasonable experience in curating methods and practices, including the proper method of developing, planning and implementing museum exhibits. You will need to be flexible and tolerant, show initiative, enthusiasm and patience to face the many hurdles and challenges that you will encounter.

Cost in US$: USD 163 p/wk

Experience Required: no

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants.

Typically Participants Work Independently or in Groups

Application Process Involves:

• Letters of Reference
• Resume
• Written Application

Post-Program Services Include:

• Exit Debriefing Abroad

Africa Intern's Mission Statement: Our objective is to help more people gain the life changing, life affirming experiences that volunteering can give. We are committed to enabling skill transfer, enabling organisations in the developing world to access different skill sets and to helping volunteers realize the value they can add using the skills they hold.

Year Founded: 2004