{{Infobox museum | name = Ife National Museum | image = Nigerian National Museums, Ile-Ife.jpg | caption = Museum facade in 2013 | established = {{Start date and age|1954}} | location = Near to Ooni's Palace, Enuwa Area, Central Ile-Ife, Nigeria | coordinates = {{coord|7.482654|4.559859|display=inline, title}} | mapframe-zoom = 15 | type = Ethnographic and Archeological Museum }} The '''Ife National Museum''' is a museum located in Osun State, Nigeria. The museum exhibits objects from ancient Ife, some of these objects are made of terracotta or bronze.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Anderson|first=Carlyn Dawn|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FiA6AQAAMAAJ&dq=%22Ife+Museum%22&pg=PA197|title=Nigeria, a Country Study|date=1979|publisher=Department of the Army|language=en}}</ref> The museum is administered by the National Commission for Museums and Monuments of Nigeria.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-02-25|title=Museums|url=https://ncmm.gov.ng/museums/|url-status=live|access-date=2022-01-21|website=National Commission for Museums and Monuments|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225131839/https://ncmm.gov.ng/museums/|archive-date=2021-02-25}}</ref>

== History == The museum is in a circular building of colonial architecture that was built in 1948.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last1=Williams|first1=Lizzie|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=omL5460steUC&dq=%22Ife+Museum%22&pg=PA179|title=Nigeria|last2=Shenley|first2=Mark|date=2012|publisher=Bradt Travel Guides|isbn=978-1-84162-397-9|language=en}}</ref> The museum was opened to the public in 1954.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ogunjobi|first=Rotimi|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ucT_v1jawmUC&dq=ile+ife+national+museum++1948&pg=PA67|title=Perspectives of Yorubaland|date=2010-07-20|publisher=Xceedia - Tee publishing|isbn=978-978-49837-1-6|language=en}}</ref> Some of the museum's artifacts were stolen between April 1993 and November 1994.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Phillips|first=Barnaby|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AhAFEAAAQBAJ&dq=%22Ife+Museum%22&pg=PT298|title=Loot: Britain and the Benin Bronzes|date=2021-04-01|publisher=Simon and Schuster|isbn=978-1-78607-936-7|language=en}}</ref> Among the objects that were stolen from the museum were three terracotta heads, which were recovered in France and returned to Nigeria in 1996.<ref>{{Cite journal|date=2000|title=Current Events|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/3337797|journal=African Arts|volume=33|issue=4|pages=84–89|jstor=3337797|issn=0001-9933}}</ref> In 1938, a carved portrait heads were found, these were created by the Yoruba people, most of these artifacts were exhibited in the museum, although some were taken out of Nigeria, this caused the Nigerian government to impose a stricter control with respect to the antiquities.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Stoilas|first=Helen|title=The Met will return three African art objects to Nigeria|url=https://www.cnn.com/style/article/met-museum-returns-benin-bronzes-nigeria/index.html|access-date=2022-01-21|website=CNN|language=en}}</ref>

== Collections == The museum contains archaeological collections, such as metal objects and human remains. The museum also contains ethnographic objects such as traditional clothing and leather bags.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Omisore|first1=Emmanuel Olufemi|last2=Ikpo|first2=Ime Johnson|last3=Oseghale|first3=Godwin Ehis|date=2009-03-01|title=Maintenance survey of cultural properties in Ile-Ife, Nigeria|journal=Journal of Building Appraisal|language=en|volume=4|issue=4|pages=255–268|doi=10.1057/jba.2009.3|s2cid=110527528|issn=1744-9545|doi-access=free}}</ref> The museum contains stone sculptures and terracotta heads.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Hudson|first1=Kenneth|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FHKwCwAAQBAJ&dq=%22Ife+Museum%22&pg=PA351|title=Directory of Museums|last2=Nicholls|first2=Ann|date=1975-06-18|publisher=Springer|isbn=978-1-349-01488-0|language=en}}</ref> Parts of the museum's sculptures date back to the 13th century. The museum contains a collection of brass heads from Ife, which were unearthed in 1938. The museum has juju items, spiritual belief system incorporating objects used in West Africa.<ref name=":0" /> The museum contains Gẹlẹdẹ masks, these were found during 1954, around Ife.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Adeleke|first=Kazeem|date=2001-02-18|title=Nigeria: Archaeology: Changing The Society With Style|url=https://allafrica.com/stories/200102190058.html|access-date=2022-01-21|website=AllAfrica}}</ref> Among the artifacts that the museum has are traditional objects used by the Yoruba people in daily life, such as cushions called Timutimus, native fans called Abebes, scabbards called Ako, earthenware pots, knives, shoes, in addition to native medicine belts. (Igbadi). Some of the heads made of wood and bronze have their mouths gagged, according to the ethnographer, Mathew Ogunmola, this would represent the slaves who were killed in different sanctuaries.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Adebisi |first=Ademakinwa |title=Ancient Arts and the heterogeneous Linkage to Contemporary Aesthetics |url=https://www.sfu.ca/cmajournal/issues/issue-six--aesthetics-of-heterogeneity/ademakinwa-adebisi.html |access-date=2022-05-23 |website=Simon Fraser University}}</ref>

== References ==

{{reflist|15em}}{{Authority control}}{{Museums in Nigeria}} Category:Museums in Nigeria