Si Hene to Open in Accra as Membership Cultural Centre
A former pharmaceutical factory in Accra will open in October as Si Hene, billed as Ghana's first membership-based cultural centre.
The inauguration will take place from 29 October to 2 November, during Accra Cultural Week. The week is organised by Gallery 1957 in Accra, The Art Newspaper reported on 15 September 2026.
The founder is Ghanaian-American artist Rita Mawuena Benissan. She set up the Si Hene foundation in 2020 to archive and preserve Ghana's cultural heritage. Si Hene means "Enstoolment" in Twi, a Ghanaian language.
Membership is the model. Members pay to join and in return get use of a cultural reference library and an archive lab, a working space for studying historical material.
The shelves are already full. The archive lab holds decades-old images, newspapers, stamps, fabric, documents and books, including first editions on Ghanaian, African and diasporan culture and history, according to the same report.
There are three tiers: young custodians, custodians and elder custodians. The centre aims to sign up at least 300 members in its first year.
What makes this stand out is the focus on keeping material in Accra and open to local users. For fans, this means a place to read, research and meet rather than a short-run show.
The building sits at 128 Ring Rd E in Accra. Its website lists 14 rooms for archiving, learning, creating and belonging, Si Hene.
Accra Cultural Week promotes contemporary African art and draws an international crowd. Its 2024 edition, its third, hosted more than 200 international guests, according to coverage at the time.
