Lagos Museum Offers Free Entry for All Visitors Starting June 15‎

‎By Chioma Obinagwam
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‎One of Nigeria’s most celebrated art museums is dropping its admission fees permanently, and a prominent Nigerian couple is footing the bill for the next three years.
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‎Confiance News has confirmed from a statement issued Tuesday by YSMA, Pan-Atlantic University, that the museum will be free to all visitors from June 15, 2026.
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‎The initiative, described as the first of its kind in the museum’s history, is being funded by art collectors and philanthropists Aisha and Gbenga Oyebode, who have committed financial support for an initial three-year period. Mr. Oyebode also serves on the YSMA Museum Advisory Board.
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‎The move is designed to dismantle financial barriers that have historically limited public access to the Lagos museum, with YSMA projecting significantly higher visitor numbers across student groups, families, researchers, tourists, and everyday members of the public.
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‎Museum Director Jess Castellote described the development as a defining moment for the institution.
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‎”This is an important moment in the history of YSMA,” he said. “Making the museum freely accessible to the public removes an important barrier between people and culture. It allows more students, families, young creatives, researchers, tourists, and everyday visitors to encounter Nigerian art in meaningful ways. We are deeply grateful to Mr. and Mrs. Gbenga Oyebode for their generosity and vision in supporting an initiative that aligns perfectly with the museum’s mission of accessibility, education, and public service.”
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‎The Oyebodes, in their remarks, framed the sponsorship as a deliberate investment in Nigeria’s cultural future.
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‎”Museums are spaces of knowledge, reflection, and human connection,” they said. “Supporting free public access to YSMA is about ensuring that more people, especially young Nigerians, can experience the richness of our artistic and cultural heritage without limitations.”
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‎The announcement arrives at a strategic moment for the institution. Confiance News sighted that YSMA has recently deepened engagements with the Nigerian Association of Tour Operators (NATOP) and the Eko Tourism Foundation (ETF), positioning itself as a flagship cultural destination within the growing Ibeju-Lekki corridor and Lagos State’s broader tourism ecosystem.
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‎Founded in 2019 and voted Museum Opening of the Year by Apollo Magazine in 2020, YSMA houses one of Nigeria’s most significant collections of Nigerian art and has served as a platform for exhibitions, scholarship, and public education since its launch.
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‎With Lagos increasingly asserting itself as a continental hub for culture and creative tourism, the free admission policy is expected to sharpen the museum’s appeal to both local and international audiences while reinforcing its role at the centre of Nigeria’s cultural public life.
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