Historical Narratives of the Eight Akan Clan Systems Using Museum Theater: The Case of Prempeh II Jubilee Museum, Ghana

Abstract

There have been several calls from diverse stakeholders in the museum sector in Ghana for creative programs that enliven the cultural objects in a museum’s holding. This study aimed at exploring the use of museum theatre as an intervention to enhance the museum experience of visitors at the Prempeh II Jubilee Museum, a popular museum in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. We produced The Linguist Staff, an interactive drama to present the historical narratives of the eight Akan clan systems. The study was carried out using arts-based research under the qualitative approach with observer-as-participant and semi-structured interviews as data collection tools. Data were analyzed using qualitative thematic analysis. Our findings revealed that museum theatre could potentially improve learning while enhancing the understanding of museum objects. The study contends that museum theatre when used tactfully by museum management could be a very useful intervention in increasing visitors’ experience and engagement.