Musical Instruments
Harps, lutes, drums, and ceremonial sound objects.
The collection is part of the AmAA initiative
Alexandro Museum of African Art
The collection is part of the AmAA initiative to preserve African Art in Africa and to build a research-driven archive of instruments, symbolic sculptures, and power figures.
3,000+
objects across partner collections
25+ years
of field research
Musical instruments, symbolic sculptures, power & healing figures.
About museum
Preserving African art in Africa
The Alexandro Museum of African Art is a private initiative uniting several private collections. The AmAA plan is to design and build museum buildings in Solar City Victoria Falls, with smaller branches in Zanzibar and Nairobi.
The AmAA commission researches and supports students and scholars interested in African art, while publishing archival materials dedicated to the continent's cultural heritage.
The AmAA has two exhibitions per year with the aim to identify pieces for future acquisition and for studying African art in different regions.
All activity of the organization is philanthropic and educational.
Mission
Keep art objects in Africa while building international research access.
Main interest
Finding important African art objects in private collections.
Symbolism
Symbolism and mysticism in health and fertility.
Collection structure
Categories and thematic rooms
The collection is organized into clear themes to make exploration fast for curators, students, and visitors.
Smoking Pipe
Ritual pipes and prestige objects from Congo and Zaire.
Jewellery & Fashion
Adornment, beadwork, and costume identity.
Ritual Mask
Dance masks, fire-spitting masks, and ceremonial performance.
Spiritual & Power Objects
Protective figures, healing symbols, and ancestral guardians.
Featured Objects
Curated highlights in rotation for deeper analysis.
About collection
Collection history and scope
The collection history started 25 years ago in 1995 when the first piece of African art was acquired. It was a small musical instrument originated from East African region. In thirty years the collection reached 250 objects and more than 2,000 pieces were acquired for other private collections.
The collection primary focus is musical instruments, symbolic sculptures, reliquary and fetish objects, fertility and health figures. Most of the objects are located in Africa, reflecting the concept to keep art objects in Africa.
Research travels
Field work across Tanganyika, Zanzibar, Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Congo, Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, and Botswana.
International network
Several international collectors joined the initiative, bringing the network to 3,000+ pieces.
Bibliographic base
Key acquisition of African books, including Livingstone and Henry Stanley editions.
Object in focus
Comparative analysis and deep research
Each exhibition is built around one real object with stylistic analysis and discussion of similar pieces from major world collections, supported by art historians.
Ritual Barque, Horse Head
Region: Low Nubia
Ritual barques served for transportation to the afterlife. The image appears in religious murals and carvings in temples and tombs. The piece is carved from Black Ironwood (Olea capensis), a dense and resilient timber used for functional parts in art and artifacts.
Dimensions: H 44 cm, L 32 cm, W 14 cm
Collection ID: AmAA-0707-MC
Exhibitions
Rotating shows and regional focus
Two exhibitions each year highlight future acquisitions and regional study.
Jul 2019 - Dec 2020
Anthropomorphous Harps of Lake Tanganyika
12 pieces from Nyamwezi, Mfipa, and Tchokwe regions.
Oct 2019 - Mar 2020
Dancing Bracelets of Zanzibar
Objects used in traditional dance between 1860-1950.
Upcoming
Smoking Pipes of Congo
Prestige objects and ceremonial pipes with documented provenance.
Research and education
Scholarship and archival publishing
AmAA supports field research, documentation, and comparative studies for students and scholars. We publish archival materials dedicated to African art and build an academic network with regional experts.
Field research trips
Provenance documentation
Scholarly publications
Education programs
Digital Collection
AmAA is developing a digital collection with a future 2026-27 metaverse version.
Private Acquisition Fund
Replicas commissioned to the best ebony carvers in East Africa.
Acquisition Committee
Informally established in 2008 and officially founded in 2025.
Featured countries
Regions represented in the collection
Congo
Tanganyika
Tanzania
Zanzibar
Zimbabwe
Zambia
Cote d'Ivoire
Ghana
Senegal
Sudan
Ethiopia
Benin
Private collections
International partners
Collectors and institutions collaborating on preservation and research.
R J [London]
Private acquisition fund contributor.
Alexei Plyaskin [Moscow]
Research collaborator and collection access partner.
Brooklin Museum of African Art [New York]
Exhibition exchange and scholarly work.
Visit & access
Planning museum spaces
The museum development focuses on creating a permanent base in Solar City Victoria Falls with satellite branches in Zanzibar and Nairobi. Each location will host education programs and rotating exhibitions.
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