ANGELIQUE KIDJO (NARRATOR): Hello, and welcome to the Arts of Africa. There is no place that has a longer history of dynamic artistic expression than this continent. The works of art in these galleries represent an unparalleled range of artistic creativity and reflect the individual artistry of makers from more than 30 countries and several hundred distinct cultures.

DURO OLOWU: It’s so diverse. Putting all of them together is a feast for the eyes and for the soul.

BAABA MAAL: We need all these elements of the arts and the culture to be together—the music, the dancing, the drawing, and everything—to come together in a package that we say this is the contribution of Africa to the universal civilization.

ANGELIQUE KIDJO: Although the artists and makers share a continent, they have their own histories, languages, patrons, materials, spiritual practices, and traditions.

SUMAYYA VALLY: I think what’s interesting about so many of these forms is the way that function was thought about is very expansive, and there is really no distinction between ornament and function.

MAGDALENE ODUNDO: What we see in museums are pieces that were kept and stored and cherished because they were special.

DAOUDA KEITA (English translation): You can't protect something or love something if you don't know it.

ANGELIQUE KIDJO: I am Angelique Kidjo, a singer-songwriter, actress, and activist born in the Republic of Benin. I now live here in New York City. Join me and a wide range of contributors—from other musicians to scholars, artists, historians, museum professionals, archaeologists, and writers—as we celebrate the cultural achievements of African artists and innovators.

This audio guide is sponsored by Bloomberg Philanthropies.

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Music: "Sunlight to My Soul", Angélique Kidjo & Soweto Gospel Choir (WMG and Realsongs)