The Africa Center facts for kids
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The Africa Center is a special place in New York City. It's located in East Harlem, Manhattan, near the top of Fifth Avenue's famous Museum Mile. This center used to be called the Museum for African Art and before that, the Center for African Art.
It first opened in 1984. Its main goal is to help people learn about and enjoy African art and culture. The Africa Center also has great education programs. These programs teach people more about African culture. You can even find a unique store there that sells real handmade African crafts.
Over the years, the center has put on almost 60 amazing art shows. These shows have traveled to nearly 140 places around the world, including 15 other countries.
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The Story of The Africa Center
The Africa Center has moved and changed its focus several times since it began. Let's look at its journey.
Starting Out: The Center for African Art (1984–1993)
The center first opened in September 1984. It was called the Center for African Art. Its first director was Susan Mullin Vogel. She used to work at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The first home for the center was on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. It was in two old townhouses. Susan Vogel created new kinds of art shows there. These shows made people think about how African art was shown to Western audiences. They also explored how museums share knowledge. Some famous shows included "Art/Artifact" in 1988 and "Africa Explores" in 1991.
Becoming a Museum: Moving to SoHo (1993–2002)
In 1993, the center changed its name. It became the Museum for African Art. It also moved to a much bigger space in SoHo. This new building was designed by a famous architect named Maya Lin. She made the galleries flow smoothly.
After Susan Vogel left in 1994, Elsie McCabe (later Elsie McCabe Thompson) took over in 1997. She wanted to move the museum again. She believed a museum needed a permanent home to attract visitors.
A Temporary Home: Long Island City (2002–2006)
In 2002, the museum moved to its third spot. This was in Long Island City, Queens. This move was meant to be temporary. The plan was to eventually move to 110th Street and Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.
The museum closed its public gallery in Queens in 2006. In 2013, the board changed its name again to the New Africa Center. Later, it became simply The Africa Center. Its purpose also changed. It was no longer just an art museum. It aimed to be a place for discussing and learning about all things Africa.
The New Vision: The Africa Center on Museum Mile (Ongoing)
The Africa Center's new home is on Museum Mile. It's at the corner of Fifth Avenue and East 110th Street in East Harlem. This building was designed by architect Robert A.M. Stern. It's the first new museum building on Museum Mile since 1959.
The goal for this new center is to be a cultural hub. It wants to be like the Asia Society. It aims to welcome people from all over the world. The new building is very large. It has about 9,000 square meters (90,000 square feet) of space. This includes 1,600 square meters (16,000 square feet) for art shows. It also has a theater, classrooms, a library, event spaces, a restaurant, and a gift shop.
Important people like CEO Uzodinma Iweala and board members Chelsea Clinton, Halima Dangote, and Hadeel Ibrahim have helped lead this growth.
The outside of the building was finished in 2010. But finishing the inside took longer due to fundraising and leadership changes. In 2015, Michelle D. Gavin, a former United States Ambassador to Botswana, became the managing director. She left in 2016.
While the building is being completed, The Africa Center hosts special "pop-up" events. In 2019, a West African restaurant called Terenga opened inside the center.
The Africa Center also has a Portal from Shared Studios. This Portal connects the center live with communities around the world. Many of these connections are with places in Africa.
See also
