Lagos Sights

  1. Lekki Conservation Centre

    Run by the Nigerian Conservation Foundation, this centre has a huge tract of wetlands set aside for wildlife viewing. Raised walkways enable you to see monkeys, crocodiles and various birds; early morning is the best time to visit. There is a conservation centre and a library.

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  2. National Museum

    The National Museum is definitely worth seeing, but note - no cameras are allowed. The star attractions are the brasses from Benin City, which get their own gallery. The Nok Terracottas are also well represented. Another gallery dedicated to traditional symbols of power contains carved ivory and a royal host of crowns. A less fortunate symbol of power is the bullet-riddled car in which Murtala Mohammed was assassinated in 1976.

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  3. National Theatre

    The National Theatre is the huge round building you see on the drive in from the airport. It has galleries of modern Nigerian art, Nigerian crafts and other African arts. The best time to visit is between and Tuesday to Saturday, when all three galleries are open.

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  4. Olumo Rock

    At Abeokuta, 70km north of Lagos, the sacred Olumo rock has commanding views of Lagos and the surrounding country. There are also caves and a shrine in the area, and at the market you can buy adire cloth and plenty of juju material.

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  5. Sungbo's Eredo

    Just one hour from Lagos, this ancient rampart is Africa's largest construction. It's 1050 years old, 160km (100mi) long, and 20m (66ft) high. It once surrounded the ancient kingdom of Ijebu. Built over two centuries, it's now largely covered by rainforest; use the guiding services of local farmers.

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  6. Tafawa Balewa Square

    Named for Nigeria's first prime minister, this is Lagos' commercial heart and has some remarkable monuments. They include statues of gargantuan horses, the Remembrance Arcade (with memorials to WWI, WWII and civil-war victims) and the 26-storey Independence House, built in 1963.

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