Tucked beside the hustle of CMS and the salty breeze of Lagos Marina, something magical is quietly drawing curious eyes: The John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History.

You might remember the old Dr. John Randle’s public pool and memorial hall built in 1928. After nearly a century of neglect, the Lagos Sate Government transformed it into a vibrant cultural centre, restoring the pool and other facilities. The centre stands proudly as part of a museum, part gallery, and part performance space, making it an immersive cultural experience designed to honour and propagate Yoruba culture and history.

A rich trove of history

Stepping into John Randle Centre does not feel like entering the conventional museum. It feels like stepping into a world with ancestral energy.

The first thing you will notice is the lighting. It is not harsh or clinical, the space is a dimly lit cool atmosphere. Each artifact is designed to draw your eyes straight to its history. And then the sound. The Yoruba music and soft incarnation flows through the space, you cannot pinpoint where it is coming from but you hear it everywhere in the museum. The drums and chants make it seem like you are walking through a hallowed paths.

Also Read: Kalakuta Museum, where Fela lives on Forever

A walk through time

You will meet a digital timeline that does not just show history, you walk through it. One of the centre’s compelling features is the digital timeline that invites you to move through it, more like flipping through a living archive.

It begins with the deities, the Orishas. Statues and artistic renderings of Esu, Ogun and other revered gods welcome you with their presence, each infused with light and context. These are not just symbolic relics, they are cultural grounding experience in deep spirituality.

As you move forward, the narrative unfolds, from ancestral worship to masquerades, from festivals to the evolution of the Yoruba civilisation. The transitions are smooth, immersive, and visually rich, showing how beliefs, custom, and traditions have evolved over the years.

By the end of the journey, you arrive at a bold, unexpected twist: a futuristic, Afrofuturist vision of the Yoruba identity. Imagine a Yoruba beyond borders and time, linking the past with possibilities of the future.

This centre is built for cultural exchanges and performances, storytelling, and education. It is a living, breathing celebration. And if you are worried it is only for tourists, then think again. This place is the kind of spot that makes you proud to be a Yoruba, nay Nigerian, or curious to know if you are not.

Language as a legacy

One of the most striking and intentional design choices in the John Randle Centre is its celebration of the Yoruba language. The Yoruba language is honoured and written, every element, from the restroom signs to the artifacts description has its Yoruba interpretation. You do not see “male” or “female”, you will see Ọkùnrin and Obìnrin. Each display comes with an English translation. A small but powerful detail that reminds one that preserving culture with language is as important as the grand statues or historical timeline.

Located at the foot of the Lagos Marina, the John Randle Centre is easy to find and hard to forget. It is close to Freedom Park, the National Museum, and the Cathedral Church of Christ, which means you can make a full cultural day of it.

Whether you are an art lover, a history nerd, or just looking for something different and unique to do in Lagos, this centre offers a rare blend of insight and inspiration.

Anita Chinedu