Manhyia Palace Museum

The Manhyia Palace Museum is a historical museum within the Manhyia Palace complex in Kumasi, the capital of Ghana's Ashanti Region. It occupies the old palace built in 1925 by the British Colonial Government as the private residence of Asantehene Agyeman Prempeh I on his return from 28 years of exile in Freetown and the Seychelles. The building passed to Otumfuo Sir Osei Agyeman Prempeh II and was briefly used by Otumfuo Opoku Ware II between 1970 and 1974. It was restored in 1995 at a cost of about GHc12,000 and opened as a museum on 12 August 1995 by Otumfuo Opoku Ware II, the 15th King of Asante, during his Silver Jubilee.

The museum presents itself as a creation of the Asante Kingdom to commemorate its leaders and communicate Asante history and culture. Exhibits include royal regalia, gold ornaments and goldweights, photographs, medals, furniture, drums, palanquins over two hundred years old, a battle dress dating to 1900, and life-sized effigies of past Asante kings and queens, including Nana Yaa Asantewaa. Video presentations explain Asante history and court traditions, and the lower floor is preserved as it was in the days of Otumfuo Sir Osei Agyeman Prempeh II. In May 2024 the museum reopened after several months of closure as part of the Silver Jubilee of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, with highlights including 32 Asante artefacts loaned by the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum.

The museum is in the Manhyia area of Kumasi, within the Kumasi Metropolitan Area. Its published coordinates are feature coordinates for the site rather than a verified visitor entrance, so plan to locate the palace complex itself rather than a specific gate.

The official museum website states opening hours of 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday to Sunday including statutory holidays, with no appointment or booking required. Third-party sources list differing hours, so it is worth confirming before travelling. Visit Ghana lists an entrance fee of GHS 10.00; the official museum website does not publish a current fee, so treat that figure as possibly outdated.

On site, the official website describes a secure parking area, a gift shop selling souvenirs and cultural items such as textiles, cloth, beads, kente bags, replica royal regalia and bangles, and a garden compound with trees, shrubs and birdlife including peacocks, a fish pond with sacred catfish used in traditional non-consumptive rituals, and a large fig tree with long aerial roots. Professional tour guides conduct tours. Photography is permitted on the grounds but prohibited inside the galleries, with professional photographers available for a fee in designated areas. The gift shop accepts cash in cedis, bank debit cards, local mobile money transfers and major international currencies.