Seeing Accra: Nkrumah Park, Jamestown, Museums

October 18, 2026

Sightseeing in Accra comes down to a short list of places, spread across a city with heavy traffic. This page ranks them by how much time each needs and says what is open, what costs money and what to confirm. Fees are in Ghana cedis (GH₵), at about 11.7 to the US dollar. Only the cedi is legal tender for shops and taxis, so US dollars are not a substitute. Several sites are memorials, and a quiet manner suits them.

A museum morning

The National Museum of Ghana, at 2 Barnes Road in Adabraka, is the easiest anchor. It is open every day from 9:00 to 16:30, and a non-Ghanaian adult pays GH₵80, about US$7. Tertiary students pay 60, junior and senior high students 30, and primary pupils 20. The museum shows gold weights, royal regalia, Kente, archaeological finds and modern art, and the board’s page holds the fee table.

Nkrumah Memorial Park

Allow one to two hours at the memorial park off High Street. It marks the old polo ground where Ghana’s independence was declared in 1957 and contains the mausoleum of Kwame Nkrumah and his wife Fathia, a museum, an audiovisual tunnel, Adinkra walls and garden fountains. It reopened to the public in July 2023. The rates page sets non-Ghanaian adults at GH₵100, about US$8.50, tertiary students at 60 and children at 30, and warns that charges can rise. Hours differ between the park’s own pages, so confirm them. Take photographs only where permitted. This is a burial memorial, so avoid loud behaviour.

Independence Square

The Black Star Gate and parade ground were built for Queen Elizabeth II’s 1961 visit and face the sea. People look at it from outside. Government events can shut it with little warning. Next door is Nationalism Park, which opened on 20 December 2024 and charges entry.

Old Accra by the sea

The Jamestown lighthouse, about 28 m tall and completed in 1932, has no official ticket desk. Informal guides take people up for a tip, and the amount is best settled beforehand. Close by, Ussher Fort Museum covers the slave trade, and the building served as a prison until 1993. It opens Monday to Saturday from 9:00 to 16:30, with fees listed between GH₵40 and 80, so ask at the door. Treat the visit as a solemn one.

Cantonments and the Du Bois Centre

W.E.B. Du Bois, the American scholar, is honoured at the centre at 22 First Circular Road in Cantonments. As of early October 2026 the campus was being renovated and the bungalow where he lived was shut. The photo exhibit and archive lab could be seen on a private tour. Hours were typically Monday to Friday 9:00 to 16:00 and Saturday 10:00 to 15:00, and no fee is confirmed, so call ahead.

Osu Castle

Fort Christiansborg started as a Swedish trading lodge in 1652 and became a Danish-Norwegian fort during the 1660s, a base for the slave trade. It later served as the seat of government. Reports on visitor access conflict, so treat it as something to see from the road, check with the museums board, and do not count on a tour. Ask before taking photographs of it or other government and security buildings.

Making a day of it

The Arts Centre beside Nkrumah Park sells beads, stools, drums and brass weights, and you should check that it is open and be ready to bargain. A private guide or small group can link the sights, and Accra city tours lists some options. Apps like Uber, Bolt and Yango show a price upfront, while street taxis need the fare agreed beforehand. Watch your bag, as pickpocketing is on the rise.