Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art

The Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art is a privately owned art museum situated on the main campus of the Pan-Atlantic University in Ibeju Lekki, Lagos State, Nigeria. Inaugurated in October 2019, it holds the distinction of being the first privately funded university museum in the country. The institution originated from a partnership between the university and Yoruba prince and art collector Yemisi Shyllon, who donated a substantial portion of his vast collection to the project. The museum houses works spanning from the pre-colonial era to the present, including historical sculptures, traditional African wooden carvings, and contemporary art from across West Africa.

Efforts to establish a museum at Pan-Atlantic University began in April 2011 with the launch of the Virtual Museum of Modern and Contemporary Nigerian Art. Although the university received proposals from various Nigerian collectors, none materialized, but plans for a physical museum were integrated into the campus masterplan. In September 2014, Prince Yemisi Shyllon offered works from his collection to the university. A formal agreement signed in June 2015 established the museum, with Shyllon donating 1,000 artworks and pledging financial support for construction and sustainability. The Lagos-based firm Redgrey Associates was appointed as consultants in mid-2015, and preliminary designs began taking shape. Construction started in 2018, and Jess Castellote, the building's design collaborator, was appointed as the museum's first director in December 2018. The building was completed in June 2019, and the museum officially opened in October 2019. In November 2020, it received the Apollo Award for Opening of the Year. The institution joined the MuseumFutures Africa project in May 2021 and partnered with Google Arts and Culture in October 2021, digitalizing 150 artifacts and adding a virtual street view tour.

The museum's holdings encompass approximately 12,000 artworks, primarily donated by Prince Shyllon from his personal collection of 7,000 artworks and 55,000 photographs. The scope spans West African art from the pre-colonial period to the present, featuring Nigerian artists alongside creators from Ghana, Senegal, South Africa, Cameroon, and Togo. The collection is strong in historical sculptures, including Nok terracottas from Igbo-Ukwu and North Central Nigeria, 16th-century treasures from the Kingdom of Benin, and a 14th-century royal figurine from the Kingdom of Ife. Traditional African wooden carvings, Afikpo masks from the Ebonyi State ethnic group, and Ifa divination trays form another core segment. The museum also dedicates a section to the Oshogbo School of Art, featuring works by Muraina Oyelami, Susanne Wenger, Rufus Ogundele, and Nike Davies-Okundaye. Photographic works, predominantly documenting Nigerian cultural festivals by Ariyo Oguntimehin, further broaden the collection.

Signature pieces in the collection include a bronze sculpture of an Ife head and traditional wooden sculptures by Yoruba artist Lamidi Olonade Fakeye. The museum holds works by prominent modern and contemporary artists such as El Anatsui, Uche Okeke, and Bruce Onobrakpeya. Other notable artists represented include Ben Enwonwu, Peju Alatise, Victor Ehikhamenor, Akinola Lasekan, and Aina Onabolu. The sculpture collection features pieces by Isiaka Osunde, Oladapo Afolayan, Adeola Balogun, and Okpu Eze. Works by Nmadinachi Egwim, Ayobola Kekere-Ekun, Damilola Tejuoso, Winifred Ukpong, Chidinma Nnoli, Fati Abubakar, Joy Labinjo, Abigail Nnaji, Lucy Azubuike, Taiye Idahor, and Olawunmi Banjo were also featured in museum exhibitions.

The museum is located on the main campus of Pan-Atlantic University in Ibeju Lekki, Lagos State. The building was designed by Hispano-Nigerian architect Jesse Castellote. Following the appointment of Redgrey Associates as project consultants in mid-2015, the architectural definition and design progressed. Construction commenced in 2018 and concluded in June 2019, resulting in a facility tailored to house the extensive and historically diverse donated collection.

The museum is privately owned and operates on the campus of Pan-Atlantic University in Ibeju Lekki, Lagos State. It opened to the public in October 2019 and has since served as an educational and cultural resource. Its programming includes curated exhibitions such as the 2019 show Mirroring Man, focused on Nigerian art, society, and politics, and the 2020 exhibition Making Matter, exploring materiality and technology. Later exhibitions include The Invincible Hands in August 2021, celebrating Nigerian women artists, and Water Under the Bridge in November 2022, which examined themes of migration and memory. Access to the collection is also provided digitally through the Google Arts and Culture platform.