Gramophone Records Museum and Research Centre of Ghana

Type of Museum: Sound archives and music reproduction devices.
Status: Private
Year established: 1994
Governing Body: An Advisory Board
Collections: Recorded Music, music reproduction devices
Publications: Catalogue, press cuttings, re-issues of CDs and cassettes.
Facilities: Exhibition Hall, Library, Archives and guided tours.
Opening Hours: Daily with appointment.
Chief Officer:

Mr. Kwame Sarpong
Director / Archivist

Founded by Mr. Kwame Sarpong in 1994, the Gramophone Records Museum and Research Centre of Ghana is located inside the premises of the Regional Centre for National Culture. It is the only institution of its kind in tropical Africa and it houses a unique collection of several thousands of 78rpm shellac discs, 45rpm and vinyl records and some reel to reel tapes, all of which were collected in Ghana.

The core of the collection is the Ghanaian "highlife" music starting with the seminal "Yaa Amponsah" of 1928, and the collection includes the work of more than 700 different music artists. The oldest African items date as far back as the turn of the Century.

With a grant from The Langlois Foundation for Art, Science and Technology in Montreal, Canada, the GRMRC is digitizing its entire Ghanaian collection, the majority of which eludes mainstream distribution network and seldom appears in record shops and catalogues.