Included with paid museum admission; free for members
Tickets for Congo Masks and Music: Masterpieces from Central Africa are $7 with paid museum admission or $10 special exhibition only for ages 20 and up, $4 for ages 4–19, and free for ages 3 and under.
Step inside one of Africa’s most powerful and enduring art forms as we celebrate the opening of Congo Masks and Music: Masterpieces from Central Africa with Congolese dance performances, a music-making workshop, exhibition tours, and a sanza thumb piano craft.
EXHIBITION DETAILS
Congo Masks and Music: Masterpieces from Central Africa Opening Weekend is sponsored by Katherine and Randy Schneewind
Instrument Spotlight: Sounds of the Congo 9:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Play traditional instruments from the Congo, including the sanza thumb piano, kundi arched harp, and lukumbi slit drum, a carved log drum used to communicate across long distances.
Artist Encounter: Kinobe 2:15–3:00 p.m. Enjoy a special presentation with Ugandan musician Kinobe (pronounced chi-no-bay). Learn about the cultural significance and everyday meaning of Congolese music, art, and community. A Q&A will follow the presentation.
Sanza Craft 9:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Craft your own sanza, an instrument with a wooden soundboard and metallic tines that are rhythmically plucked to make music. This thumb piano from Central Africa is used to accompany songs and stories of everyday life.
Music-Making Workshop 11:15 a.m.–12:00 p.m. (Saturday only) Join Ugandan singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Kinobe for a workshop that blends the sounds of traditional and modern Congolese instruments and music. Learn songs and rhythms of the region in this interactive session that is sure to be fun for all ages.
Congo Masks and Music Mini-Tour 1:15 and 3:15 p.m. Included with special exhibition admission only. Space is limited; first come, first served. Explore the music and art of the Congo with Manuel Jordán, PhD, MIM’s deputy director and chief curator, in this brief insider’s look at the curation of the exhibition’s rare and special collection of masks and musical instruments.
Congolese Dance Performance 2:15–2:40 p.m. Watch Wazuri Team showcase an array of popular Central African dance styles in a captivating and dynamic performance. Comprised of four local dancers, the Wazuri Team will perform Ndombolo, Congolese rumba, and Afro Congo on Saturday and Afrobeat Sakata on Sunday.
Weekend Extras Available for Purchase All weekend, celebrate the art and music of the Congo at the Museum Store with gifts, CDs, and books inspired by MIM’s special exhibition.
During Café Allegro lunch hours, enjoy a special menu featuring goat soup with potatoes, yam and peanut stew, kanda (Central African meatballs), chicken in muamba sauce, and African ginger cake.
Katherine and Randy Schneewind