Founded in 2020, MOWAA is dedicated to the preservation of heritage, expansion of knowledge and celebration of West African arts and culture. MOWAA's mission centers on documenting, safeguarding, and activating cultural memory through an integrated approach that brings together curatorial practice, conservation, digitization, archaeology, and public programming.
MOWAA fosters collaboration among scholars, artisans, and cultural practitioners to support research, collections care, exhibition, and knowledge production.
The Museum has undertaken several key initiatives, like leading archaeological excavations particularly around the historic Benin City, contributing to knowledge on the region's material culture and urban history. MOWAA is in the process of establishing robust collections management and documentation systems, conservation and material science infrastructure while also delivering public programs. Guided by the principle of bringing the past to the present for the sake of the future, MOWAA continues to serve as a hub for innovation and cultural continuity.