Over 20 years ago Olayami Dabls came to the corner of Grand River and West Grand Blvd with a vision to create a space for his community to understand the immense power of their African heritage. Dabls, the founder and curator of MBAD African Bead Museum, created the project with the intention to use art for its original purpose in Africa. Instead of using art for entertainment or to make money, he uses art to stimulate emotional and cultural healing.    

Occupying almost an entire city block, the Dabls Mbad African Bead Museum houses 18 outdoor installations as well as the African Bead Gallery, N'kisi House and African Language Wall. Born of his own visual cosmology, Dabls' MBAD African Bead Museum is a quiet revolution that sparks a vital conversation with global and local audiences.

With support from foundations such as the Knight Foundation and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Dabls continues to build and expand on his mission. Working with Los Angeles/Detroit based architectural design firm Lorcan O’Herlihy Architects and Allied Media Projects,  Dabls is in the process of renovating the museum’s three townhouses and a separate neighboring building with the end goal of being able to provide indoor programming during the colder months. Dabls envisions the townhouses holding rotating exhibitions of African material culture, as well as a space for an artist’s residence on the second floor. We encourage you to visit the MBAD African Bead Museum website for more information and the chance to donate to the museum and its expansion, but more importantly, we encourage you to visit in person if able!  

Support MBAD African Bead Museum at http://www.mbad.org/support