Out of Africa

Words by Tracy Walsh

Explore African heritage at a new museum in San Francisco.

the newest museum in San Francisco’s Yerba Buena district greets visitors with a mirror and a question: “When did you discover you were African?”

“At first, we were worried that our message would be too controversial,” confesses Denise Bradley of the Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD). “But the response from visitors of all colors has been overwhelmingly positive. All of humanity has its origins in Africa, and our mission is to reveal th ose connections.”

the MoAD is hard to miss. An imposing, two-story-tall image of a Ghanaian girl towers over Mission Street, gazing th rough the glass atrium and startling pedestrians below. Inside the museum, the image splinters into hundreds of different pictures. It’s really a massive mosaic, composed of more than 2,100 individual photographs submitted by shutterbugs from across the globe. Look carefully. You might find Carlos Santana or photographer Gordon Parks. You might find a friend. You might even find yourself.

the Girl from Ghana—based on a famous New York Times photograph—is the literal face of the museum. Bradley says the mosaic perfectly captures the philosophy of the MoAD: “Many people, many journeys, many stories, but one human race.”

the six-month -old museum has drawn acclaim from critics and visitors alike. At the core of its success is an innovative mixture of history, technology and art. On the first floor, visitors encounter a multimedia map, crisscrossed with fiber-optic wires, which depicts humankind’s origins in, and migration from, the African continent. “We take people th rough two million years of history in th ree minutes,” says Bradley. “It’s incredible.”

the second floor houses the museum’s interactive exhibits.

the Celebration Circle features an original film about celebration rituals of diverse cultures, from the Maori to the Irish to African-Americans. Projected onto a 180-degree screen, the film is a wholly immersive experience. Beyond the Celebration Circle are interactive kiosks, which examine how African food, fashion and art influenced the world. the music kiosks, which trace the evolution of samba, calypso and hip-hop, offer visitors the opportunity to mix their own music. “Kids go crazy with th ose,” Bradley laughs.

Nearby is the Freedom theater, which screens th ree commissioned films. Not far away is the Slavery Passage, a solemn space where visitors can reflect on human bondage. Visitors listen to firsthand accounts of slaves from 18th -century America to 20th -century North Africa, all movingly retold by speakers like Maya Angelou.

While the museum addresses some heavy historical issues, Bradley becomes animated when the discussion turns to contemporary art. “When most people talk about ‘African art,’ they th ink of classic eth nographic objects: the masks, the carvings, and so on,” she explains. “And that work is very important. But here at the MoAD, we showcase the best in contemporary art. Yes, the artists are of African descent. But if the label was removed, you would find this kind of work over at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.”

Starting April 6, the MoAD will host “Looking Both Ways,” a provocative examination of cultural identity th rough various media, featuring 12 contemporary artists of African origin living in the United States and Europe. the best-known artist is sculptor Yinka Shonibare, who was a contender for the Turner Prize, the most prestigious modern art contest in the UK.

“In the end,” says Bradley, “we want visitors to go away with a better understanding of themselves and with a greater connection to the rest of the world. We’re a small museum, but we’re doing big th ings.”

Museum of the African Diaspora, 685 Mission St, San Francisco; 415-358-7200; www.moadsf.org