The Smithsonian Institution's Museum of African Art has a delightful online kid-friendly exhibit, and it can be explored in detail here. The "Introduction" explains that African art depicts some animals more than others, and some not at all. The cheetah and the zebra do not appear to be found in any of the art, and the ostrich and gorilla appear only rarely. The main page divides the artwork up by general animal type, such as "Leopards and Lions", "Mudfish, Water Spirits and Snails", and "Look for the Animals", which is a work of art that has several different animals in it. Many of the images of the artworks also have a link called "Kids! Click Here" that lead to fun facts about the animals in the artwork. The descriptions of the art that accompany the images inform visitors about the animals depicted, but also about the role or use of the animal in African societies. Finally, visitors shouldn't miss the recording of the director of the National Museum of African Art reading an Asante tale, called the Leopard's Drum, at the end of the exhibit.
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