Africa at the Museum: The Benin Empire at the British Museum
Step into the world of the Benin Empire through the British Museum’s extraordinary artefacts, uncovering how art, power, and ritual shaped one of Africa’s greatest states and what these objects reveal about its history and legacy.
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Discover the history of the Benin Empire through the remarkable objects housed in the British Museum’s Africa collection. This course brings the past to life by placing artefacts at the centre of historical enquiry, using them to trace the rise of one of West Africa’s most powerful states. You will explore how Benin was structured politically, socially, and economically, and how it adapted to changing internal dynamics and external encounters. Along the way, the course examines religious practices, military traditions, and the visual language of kingship, revealing how power was expressed and maintained. It also invites critical reflection on the collection itself, considering how these objects came to the museum and what ongoing debates about their ownership and future tell us about history, memory, and representation.
Please note:
This course is split between 2 locations: on-site learning at the British Museum and a classroom session at City Lit
There is prereading for this course. Students are expected to read the pre-circulated material in advance, and the live sessions will assume familiarity with this material.
What will we cover?
The course cover (subject to what’s on display):
1. The origins and early development of the Benin Empire
2. Edo city: urban design, monumental walls, and the guild system
3. Court life, religious practices, and the roles of the Oba and Iyoba
4. The wider kingdom: military organisation, expansion, and systems of rule
5. Resistance to colonial rule, the 1897 invasion, and the loss of the Benin Bronzes
6. The Benin Empire and its legacy today
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
Explain the key features of political and social organisation in the Benin Empire from the sixteenth century onwards
Analyse major political, economic, and military developments in Benin’s history
Assess the rise, transformation, and decline of the empire
Evaluate the role of material culture in understanding African history
Explore the origins of the British Museum’s Benin collection and consider debates surrounding its acquisition and future
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
The course is suitable for complete beginners or those with a curiosity about the topic.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
The course will take place at City Lit and the British Museum and will be a mixture of lecture, exploring the collection, and group discussions on items in the collection. There is prereading for this course.
AM session (10:30-12:30) at the British Museum (we will contact students in advance to arrange a meeting point)
PM session (13:30-15:30) at City Lit's main Keeley Street site (10mins walk from the British Museum)
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
Apeike Umolu is a historian of Black and African history, with a research focus on the 19th century. In addition to teaching at City Lit, she lectures at leading universities in the UK and Nigeria, teaching modules that cover modern African history, Black Atlantic history, the history of the Americas, and the history of the global south.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
product
https://www.citylit.ac.uk/africa-at-the-museum-the-benin-empire-at-the-british-museum3060766Africa at the Museum: The Benin Empire at the British Museumhttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/d/p/dp-25381-001.jpg4949GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/History/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/History/African history22851177117819761228511771178<p>Step into the world of the Benin Empire through the British Museum’s extraordinary artefacts, uncovering how art, power, and ritual shaped one of Africa’s greatest states and what these objects reveal about its history and legacy.</p>003060757Africa at the Museum: The Benin Empire at the British Museum4949https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/d/p/dp-25381-001_1.jpgInStockDaytimeSatOff SiteAvailable coursesOne-off onlyWeekend2026-12-05T00:00:00+00:00Beginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allDec 2026Culture, history & humanitiesHWH2354949Africa at the Museum: The Benin Empire at the British Museum393249Apeike Umoluafrica-at-the-museum-the-benin-empire-at-the-british-museum/hwh235-2627<p>Step into the world of the Benin Empire through the British Museum’s extraordinary artefacts, uncovering how art, power, and ritual shaped one of Africa’s greatest states and what these objects reveal about its history and legacy.</p>0000-Available|2026-12-05 00:00:00<p>Discover the history of the Benin Empire through the remarkable objects housed in the British Museum’s Africa collection. This course brings the past to life by placing artefacts at the centre of historical enquiry, using them to trace the rise of one of West Africa’s most powerful states. You will explore how Benin was structured politically, socially, and economically, and how it adapted to changing internal dynamics and external encounters. Along the way, the course examines religious practices, military traditions, and the visual language of kingship, revealing how power was expressed and maintained. It also invites critical reflection on the collection itself, considering how these objects came to the museum and what ongoing debates about their ownership and future tell us about history, memory, and representation.</p><p>Please note:</p><ul><li>This course is split between 2 locations: on-site learning at the British Museum and a classroom session at City Lit </li><li>There is prereading for this course. Students are expected to read the pre-circulated material in advance, and the live sessions will assume familiarity with this material.</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><p>Step into the world of the Benin Empire through the British Museum’s extraordinary artefacts, uncovering how art, power, and ritual shaped one of Africa’s greatest states and what these objects reveal about its history and legacy.</p><p>The course cover (subject to what’s on display):</p><p>1. The origins and early development of the Benin Empire</p><p>2. Edo city: urban design, monumental walls, and the guild system</p><p>3. Court life, religious practices, and the roles of the Oba and Iyoba</p><p>4. The wider kingdom: military organisation, expansion, and systems of rule</p><p>5. Resistance to colonial rule, the 1897 invasion, and the loss of the Benin Bronzes</p><p>6. The Benin Empire and its legacy today</p><ul><li>Explain the key features of political and social organisation in the Benin Empire from the sixteenth century onwards</li><li>Analyse major political, economic, and military developments in Benin’s history</li><li>Assess the rise, transformation, and decline of the empire</li><li>Evaluate the role of material culture in understanding African history</li><li>Explore the origins of the British Museum’s Benin collection and consider debates surrounding its acquisition and future</li></ul><p>The course is suitable for complete beginners or those with a curiosity about the topic.</p><p>The course will take place at City Lit and the British Museum and will be a mixture of lecture, exploring the collection, and group discussions on items in the collection. There is prereading for this course.</p><ul><li>AM session (10:30-12:30) at the British Museum (we will contact students in advance to arrange a meeting point)</li><li>PM session (13:30-15:30) at City Lit's main Keeley Street site (10mins walk from the British Museum) </li></ul><p>No. Pen and paper if you wish to take notes. </p><p><a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/humanities/history/african-history" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Browse all our African history courses here.</a></p>HistoryAfrican historyvirtual394932HWH235NONESat05/12/2610:30 - 15:3010:3015:301 session1One-off onlyDaytimeWeekendOSOff SiteApeike UmoluBeginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allAvailable courses2026-12-05T00:00:00+00:00Dec 2026Culture, history & humanities4949Africa at the Museum: The Benin Empire at the British Museumafrica-at-the-museum-the-benin-empire-at-the-british-museum/hwh235-2627<p>Step into the world of the Benin Empire through the British Museum’s extraordinary artefacts, uncovering how art, power, and ritual shaped one of Africa’s greatest states and what these objects reveal about its history and legacy.</p>0000-Available|2026-12-05 00:00:00<p>Discover the history of the Benin Empire through the remarkable objects housed in the British Museum’s Africa collection. This course brings the past to life by placing artefacts at the centre of historical enquiry, using them to trace the rise of one of West Africa’s most powerful states. You will explore how Benin was structured politically, socially, and economically, and how it adapted to changing internal dynamics and external encounters. Along the way, the course examines religious practices, military traditions, and the visual language of kingship, revealing how power was expressed and maintained. It also invites critical reflection on the collection itself, considering how these objects came to the museum and what ongoing debates about their ownership and future tell us about history, memory, and representation.</p><p>Please note:</p><ul><li>This course is split between 2 locations: on-site learning at the British Museum and a classroom session at City Lit </li><li>There is prereading for this course. Students are expected to read the pre-circulated material in advance, and the live sessions will assume familiarity with this material.</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><p>Step into the world of the Benin Empire through the British Museum’s extraordinary artefacts, uncovering how art, power, and ritual shaped one of Africa’s greatest states and what these objects reveal about its history and legacy.</p><p>The course cover (subject to what’s on display):</p><p>1. The origins and early development of the Benin Empire</p><p>2. Edo city: urban design, monumental walls, and the guild system</p><p>3. Court life, religious practices, and the roles of the Oba and Iyoba</p><p>4. The wider kingdom: military organisation, expansion, and systems of rule</p><p>5. Resistance to colonial rule, the 1897 invasion, and the loss of the Benin Bronzes</p><p>6. The Benin Empire and its legacy today</p><ul><li>Explain the key features of political and social organisation in the Benin Empire from the sixteenth century onwards</li><li>Analyse major political, economic, and military developments in Benin’s history</li><li>Assess the rise, transformation, and decline of the empire</li><li>Evaluate the role of material culture in understanding African history</li><li>Explore the origins of the British Museum’s Benin collection and consider debates surrounding its acquisition and future</li></ul><p>The course is suitable for complete beginners or those with a curiosity about the topic.</p><p>The course will take place at City Lit and the British Museum and will be a mixture of lecture, exploring the collection, and group discussions on items in the collection. There is prereading for this course.</p><ul><li>AM session (10:30-12:30) at the British Museum (we will contact students in advance to arrange a meeting point)</li><li>PM session (13:30-15:30) at City Lit's main Keeley Street site (10mins walk from the British Museum) </li></ul><p>No. Pen and paper if you wish to take notes. </p><p><a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/humanities/history/african-history" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Browse all our African history courses here.</a></p>HistoryAfrican historyconfigurable
19761178African historyhttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/humanities/history/african-history1/2/285/1177/1178/19761/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/History/African history
