Explore Nigeria's culture and heritage when you visit Nike Centre for Art and Culture.

By Victor Okafor

18 November 2019

For most foreigners visiting Nigeria, learning about her rich culture and history is always on their to-do lists. Nike Centre for Arts & Culture is a must-visit for this purpose as it offers the opportunity to see Nigeria and get immersed in her culture through several African art collections on display.

The Nike Art Centre is accredited as one of the hidden treasures and leading art galleries in Nigeria comprising of an art gallery and textile museum featuring over 7,000 pieces. The center was established in September 2009, by Chief (Mrs.) Oyenike Monica Okundaye from her earning as an artist and without governmental funds. Nike?s unique style in textile design and painting gained international recognition, bringing her a lot of fame and fortune. She is also the owner/curator of Nike Art Gallery Osogbo, Ogidi-Ijumu, and Abuja.

Nike?s art gallery poses as one of the best preservation venues for Nigeria?s ancient traditional values and symbols with arts and crafts dating back centuries. It also provides an opportunity for foreigners to discover amazing things about African traditions.

Tourists At The Gallery
Tourists At The Gallery

Things To Do At Nike Art Gallery.

Depending on what aspect of art you fancy, you can explore different types of art crafts and collections like drawings, paintings, molded statues, Adire, batik, indigo, beadwork, carving, embroidery, metalwork, weaving, drumming and many more.

Portraits At Nike Art Gallery
Portraits At Nike Art Gallery

Preferred Time To Visit Nike Art Gallery.

If you are the type to soak in art with little or no disturbance, then it is best to avoid public holidays and festive seasons, due to the large influx of visitors at these times. The raining season (April through July) might also not be an ideal time to visit the gallery as heavy downpours make it hard to move in Lagos traffic.

Check out tips on how to survive traffic in Lagos.

The Nike Art Gallery opens by 10 AM and closes 6 PM every day. For tourists that are curators or art enthusiasts, it might be difficult to fully explore the works of art in the gallery all in one day. Tourists can lodge in some of the best hotels in Lagos near the art gallery.

How To Get To Nike Art Gallery.

The gallery is situated on the Lagos Island at No. 2 Oba Yekini Elegushi Rd, Lekki Phase I, Lekki and it can easily be accessed by cabs at the international airport if arriving Lagos by flight. However, if you plan on going by road from a location in the city of Lagos, you will need to board a bus going to Obalende. At Obalende, you would enter another bus going towards Lekki and alight at Ikate Bus stop (3rd roundabout Lekki).

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