The mausoleum
An upside-down sword.
Williams Penuku — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Cca Raheem — CC BY 4.0 · Kwameghana(Bright Kwame Ayisi) — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Nkansahrexford — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Brans Wyte GH — CC0
Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park is a green space in central Accra holding the mausoleum of Ghana's first president and a museum of his life. Kwame Nkrumah lies here with his wife, Fathia. It is among the most visited places in the capital, and its director reported 266,000 tourists in 2025. The park opened in 1992 on the former British polo grounds, the spot where Nkrumah declared Ghana's independence in 1957, making it one of the first sub-Saharan African countries to win independence from colonial rule. It covers five acres. The mausoleum was designed by Dr E. G. A. Don Arthur in the form of an upside-down sword, which in Akan culture is a symbol of peace. A straight path leads between pools and fountains lined with bronze statues of musicians, up to a standing statue of Nkrumah with the grey mausoleum and its high tower behind him. The museum shows photographs and objects from each stage of his life, including his first official car, and passages from his speeches line the walls. The park looks its best late in the day. Black Star Square is about 1 km away in a straight line and Jamestown Lighthouse about 1.5 km, so all three fit into one walk or short taxi ride. The park is small, and an hour is enough. Dress modestly at the mausoleum and ask before photographing inside the museum. The midday heat is strong, so bring water.
An upside-down sword.
Bronze musicians.
With his first official car.
High Street, central Accra, Ghana
About an hour covers the park, mausoleum and museum, as the site is small.
It takes the form of an upside-down sword, a symbol of peace in Akan culture.
