The National Museum of African Art is home to a wide-ranging collection of artworks reflecting the rich cultures from across the African continent. The museum’s permanent collection features approximately 525 artworks from the world-famous Walt Disney-Tishman collection (60 of which are on view on Level 1), including a rare 15th-century ivory tusk carved in Sierra Leone that bears the coats of arms for Portugal’s and Spain’s ruling houses. In addition, the museum is home to hundreds of outstanding works of art, such as a rare Chokwe mask of a wise woman.

Exhibitions

“Paul Emmanuel: Transitions” (May 12-Aug. 22). Using a unique drawing process and film, Paul Emmanuel reveals the complexities of life as a young white male in post-apartheid South Africa.

“A Brave New World” (July 14-indefinitely). Ethiopian artist Theo Eshetu’s mesmerizing video installation plays on a screen fitted within a box that resembles a gold-framed painting hanging on a wall.

“Grass Roots: African Origins of an American Art” (June 23-Nov. 28). Learn about Africans in America from the 17th century to the present. By tracing the story of a beautiful coiled basket, this exhibition revisits the history of the southeastern United States and the enduring contribution of African peoples and their cultures to American life.