On May 14, 2026, the W.E.B. Du Bois Museum Foundation visited the Manhyia Palace Museum in Kumasi for a special guided tour exploring the history, leadership, traditions, and cultural legacy of the Asante Kingdom.

The visit gave the team an opportunity to study how one of Ghana’s most respected cultural institutions preserves and presents history through storytelling, artifacts, architecture, and traditional knowledge systems.

During the tour, the Foundation learned about the spiritual and historical significance of the Golden Stool, the exile and return of Asantehene Prempeh I, the resistance led by Yaa Asantewaa against British colonial forces, and the evolution of the Manhyia Palace into a museum space dedicated to preserving Asante heritage.

The team explored exhibits featuring royal regalia, ceremonial swords, palanquins, traditional drums, antique furniture, historic photographs, gold ornaments, and sacred symbols tied to the political and spiritual identity of the Asante Kingdom. Discussions also highlighted the role of queen mothers and the matrilineal system that continues to shape Asante leadership and succession.

The museum guides also spoke about efforts to recover looted Asante artifacts currently held in foreign institutions, stressing the importance of cultural ownership, preservation, and historical memory.

For the Foundation, the visit served as both a cultural experience and a professional learning opportunity as work continues on the redevelopment vision for the W.E.B. Du Bois Memorial Centre for Pan-African Culture.

The engagement forms part of the Foundation’s broader effort to learn from leading heritage institutions while strengthening museum preservation, education, research, and Pan-African storytelling in Ghana.