New York, 2026 Three centuries-spanning works of Nigerian art are beginning a new chapter at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, thanks to a landmark 25-year agreement between The Met and Nigeria's National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM).

Announced on September 21, the arrangement brings the sculptures into The Met's newly transformed Michael C. Rockefeller Wing, where they'll be seen by the museum's 6.3 million annual visitors. The loan can be extended beyond the initial 25-year term.

The Three Works

The pieces trace centuries of Nigerian artistic achievement:

• A Yoruba terracotta Head of a Horse (12th–15th century) Its elaborate bridle, coiffure, and ridged forehead plate link the horse to rulers and warriors, reflecting ancient Ife's renowned sculptural tradition
• An Edo terracotta commemorative portrait (c. 16th century) A product of Benin's royal brass-casting guilds, which created idealized portraits for altars tied to courtly memory and ritual.
• An Edo brass figure of a queen mother (c. 18th century) A rare survival, as freestanding iyọ́bà figures seldom endure, queen mother representations more typically anchored larger altar ensembles.

Together, the works connect the artistic traditions of ancient Ife and the Benin Kingdom with contemporary conversations about Nigerian cultural heritage.

From Private Collection to Public Legacy

The agreement began with philanthropy. The works came from the private collection of Ceil Pulitzer, a longtime supporter of African art at The Met. The museum facilitated their gift to the Friends of Nigeria's Cultural Heritage, an NCMM initiative hosted at Myriad USA. Ownership is intended to transfer to the NCMM, while the works remain accessible to international audiences through their long-term presentation at The Met.

A Win for Scholarship

For Nigeria, the arrangement opens new research possibilities. NCMM researchers will be able to study the three works alongside related objects in Nigerian national collections—potentially strengthening connections between objects held across institutions and deepening knowledge of Ife and Benin traditions.

"The initiative is very important to us because it enables Nigerian antiquities in private collections to be displayed at The Met and seen by a wide and diverse audience," said NCMM Director General Olugbile Holloway, who added that the partnership is "of tremendous value."

Decades in the Making

The agreement extends a relationship stretching back decades. In 1980, The Met presented Treasures of Ancient Nigeria, featuring 100 Nigerian works. In 2021, the museum and NCMM signed a memorandum of understanding covering expertise and art exchanges, including reciprocal loans. More recently, the two have collaborated on digital documentation of NCMM collections—a project that grew from a 100-object pilot into curatorial residencies, workshops, photography training, and new digital infrastructure at the National Museum in Lagos. The Met has also received a second U.S. Department of State Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation grant to support the next phase.

The Bigger Picture

As these three works settle into The Met's African art galleries, the agreement demonstrates how ownership, scholarship, and international access can work together. For Nigerian heritage, their journey to New York opens another chapter in how historic works are preserved, studied, and encountered across borders.