Armed Forces Museum — Attraction in Ashanti Region

The Kumasi Fort and Military Museum is one of few military museums in Africa. It is located in the Uaddara Barracks in Kumasi, the capital city of the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The Prempeh Museum, Kumasi Cultural Centre, Kumasi Zoo and Kumasi Central market are all within walking distance of the fort.

The Kumasi Fort was built in 1820 by the Asantehene (the King of the Asante Kingdom), Osei Tutu Kwamina, to resemble the coastal forts which were built by European merchants. Kumasi Fort had to be rebuilt in 1897, after it was destroyed by British forces in 1874. The fort was built from granite and brown soil that was brought from Cape Coast to Kumasi by porters.

In March 1900, during the Asante Rebellion, the fort was encircled, and 29 Britons were trapped inside for several weeks. The leader of this rebellion was the Queen Mother of Ejisu, Ohemaa Yaa Asantewaa. After a brief period of imprisonment in the fort, she was forced into exile in the Seychelles, where she died.

From 1952 to 1953, after the Second World War, the Armed Forces of the British Colonial Government took over the fort and converted it into a museum.

Exhibits include: military equipment, artefacts and other objects used in the British-Asante war of 1990 and during the Second World War. The collection includes weapons of war, colours, medals, armoured cars, anti-aircraft guns, photographs and portraits. This serves as a valuable historical institution for tracing the evolution and development of the Gold Coast Regiment of the colonial era, to the present-day Ghana Armed Forces.

There is a British Military Cemetery just about 200m northwest of the Kumasi Fort and Military Museum, which contains graves of British casualties of the Yaa Asantewaa War.

The Kumasi Fort and Military Museum is open daily from 8:00am to 5:00pm, except on Sundays and public holidays.

A guided tour of the fort...

Armed Forces Museum Kumasi.

This place is a walking distance from the Kumasi Cultural Center, the Prempeh the 2nd Museum and the Okomfo Anokye sword site.

Entry fee is 20 cedis per Adult and 10 cedis per phone

Tour . There are 9 rooms to be toured at the museum. You are allowed to take pictures within certain parts of the museum

The tour can last for an hour or less, depending on your preference of speed.

You can ask your questions with an open mind for answers. However, the tour guide isn’t a know it all so feel free to check online for more information

There site is not too far from the market , post office and bus station. You can walk around the market to purchase few traditional items as souvenirs.

The displays were rich with artifacts: old uniforms, weapons from various eras, medals, and personal belongings of Ghanaian soldiers who served both home and abroad.

One of the most powerful parts for me was learning about Ghana’s role in global peacekeeping missions and the brave men and women who represented our country across borders.

What struck me the most was the museum’s ability to blend historical education with emotional connection. Seeing the photos, reading the stories, and standing inside a space that has witnessed so much—it gave me a deeper appreciation for the Armed Forces and how far we’ve come as a nation.

If you’re ever in Kumasi, this museum deserves a spot on...

It's a museum inside a historic landmark, for a two-for-one bonanza. This place was originally a fort built by the Asantehene to rival those built by the British in Cape Coast. It was eventually razed down (by the British, naturally) in the course of war, and rebuilt years later. It is famous for being the site of the siege by Asante warriors to free the great Queenmother Yaa Asantewaa. Get the full story when you visit the museum. There is also a fascinating story about Perry Martin gun, that the guides like to tell. Entry fee is affordable, though it's a bit higher for foreigners than locals. There's a treasure trove of history waiting to be discovered in there, and it is well...