National Museum of African Art / Art and Programs / College and Adult / Clinics

Curatorial and Conservation clinics

Registration required; call 202.633.4640

Curators meet with individuals to identify and discuss the aesthetic and contextual aspects of specific works of art. Limit two objects per visit; preference is extended to first-time participants. Please register well in advance of the date you wish to attend as these clinics are limited in terms of participants and they tend to fill up quickly.

Conservators advise the public on the proper care of their collections. Limit two objects per visit; preference is extended to first-time participants. Please register well in advance of the date you wish to attend as these clinics are limited in terms of participants and they tend to fill up quickly.

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.

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.

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.