Explore Ghana
Bolgatanga, the busy capital of Ghana's Upper East Region, is a town built on making things by hand. Come here and you can watch baskets take shape from elephant grass, walk through rooms of regional history, and meet the people who keep these crafts and traditions alive. The five places gathered on this page share a common thread: they are all about the culture of the Upper East, whether that means weaving, collecting, trading or chieftaincy.
They differ in mood and pace. Bolgatanga Market is the big central market, held every three days, and it is where you will find baskets, leather goods and smocks alongside everyday trading. The Upper East Regional Museum, which has preserved the region's material culture since 1972 and has been at its current site since 1991, offers a quieter, more reflective visit. Baba Tree Basket Company is a design-led weaving company and artisan community producing handwoven Bolga baskets, lampshades and wall pieces. Bolgatanga Craft Village, built by the municipal assembly in 2003, sits next to the museum, so the two are easy to pair. And Bolgatanga Naba's Palace, in the Atulibabisi community, is the traditional seat and administrative centre of the paramount chief of the Bolgatanga Traditional Area.
Good to know
Plan around the market's three-day cycle, since it is not held daily, and check opening arrangements for the museum, the craft village and Baba Tree before you set out, as these can change. The museum and craft village are adjacent, so group them in one outing. Ask before photographing people, stalls or the palace, and dress and behave respectfully at the Naba's Palace, which is a working traditional and administrative seat. Bring cash for market and craft purchases, and a little patience: Bolgatanga rewards unhurried browsing and conversation with the makers themselves.
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Attraction · Bolgatanga
Bolgatanga Market is the large central market of Bolgatanga, Upper East Region, held every three days and known for crafts including baskets, leather goods and smocks.
Photo: Adam Jones, Ph.D. - Global Photo Archive · Source
Attraction · Bolgatanga
An ethnographic museum in Bolgatanga, Upper East Region, preserving the material culture of the region since 1972 and housed at its current site since 1991.
Photo: Mac-Gbathy · Source
Attraction · Bolgatanga
A design-led basket-weaving company and artisan community in Bolgatanga, Upper East Region, producing handwoven Bolga baskets, lampshades and wall pieces from elephant grass.
Attraction · Bolgatanga
A craft market and artisan centre in Bolgatanga, Upper East Region, built by the municipal assembly in 2003 and adjacent to the Upper East Regional Museum.
Attraction · Bolgatanga
The traditional seat and administrative centre of the paramount chief of the Bolgatanga Traditional Area, in the Atulibabisi community, Upper East Region, Ghana.