Centre Houamla
Centre Houamla was born from the conviction that a handmade object tells a civilisation's story better than any long speech. Discover its history, its mission and the team that brings it to life.
The idea to open an art gallery came upon us after visiting the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, Texas in 2013, which has a rich collection of African Art. After an exhibit of our personal collection of African Art at the Isla Center for the Arts at the University of Guam in 2015, it became obvious that displaying art was a new passion for us.
We opened and curated the "Houamla Collection of African Art" on Guam from 2016 to 2019, the only African Art Gallery in the Pacific. The location of Guam in the Western Pacific was a stepping-stone to visiting and collecting unique artifacts from Asia and various Pacific islands, displayed here. This diverse collection should be viewed from the lens of the ethnography where art is the bond of people across the globe.
Visiting the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston and its rich collection of African art sparks the idea of one day opening a gallery.
An exhibit of our personal collection of African Art at the Isla Center for the Arts reveals the joy of sharing this artistic beauty with the community.
Opening of the only African Art Gallery in the Pacific. Guam's location in the Western Pacific serves as a stepping-stone to collecting artifacts from Asia and the Pacific islands.
The collection, now housed at Centre Houamla, Quarter TP, Adzopé (behind PMI), continues to grow with pieces from Africa, Asia, the Pacific Islands and Australia, including a rare Akyé mask from the prestigious Charles Ratton collection.
Every object is presented with care to faithfully restore its origin and its function of use.
Provenance, material and technique are checked and updated as research progresses.
Families, schools, researchers and the curious all find an accessible trail and tailored guidance.
Scientific oversight of the collection, acquisitions and relationships with partner artisans.
Design of visit trails, school workshops and educational materials.
Monitoring the condition of the works, light restoration and conservation conditions.