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Welcome to the Penn Museum blog. First launched in January 2009, the Museum blog now has over 800 posts covering a range of topics in the categories of Museum, Collection, Exhibitions, Research, and By Location. Here you’ll hear directly from our staff and Penn students about their work, research, experiences, and discoveries. To explore the Museum's other digital content, visit The Digital Penn Museum.


Yoruba Drum [Object of the Day #112]

By: Alyssa Kaminski

  This drum, from Nigeria, is characteristic of the Yoruba people. The object is made from wood and displays intricate carvings of fish legged people. The stylized carving represents the king-god and his arm-supporters. The drum is large in size and is missing it’s hide drumhead. Penn Museum Object #29-93-39 See this and other objects […]

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Yoruba Sculpture from Nigeria [Object of the Day #26]

By: Amy Ellsworth

This wooden sculpture from Nigeria depicts two African men carrying a European man wearing a pith helmet in a palanquin. Read more about the depiction of Europeans in Yoruba art in the Expedition magazine article The Pink People by David Crownover. Penn Museum Object #75-31-1. See this and other objects like it in the Penn […]

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