Manhyia is an Akan word which means gathering of the town’s people. The Manhyia Palace is the seat of the Asantehene of Asanteman, as well as his official residence.
It is located at Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti Kingdom and Ashanti Region. The first palace is now a museum. King Opoku Ware II built the new palace, which is close to the old one and is used by the current Asantehene, King Osei Tutu II.
The palace courtyard hosts numerous important Asante traditional events. These include the Adae festival, which occurs every sixth Sunday, when the Asantehene receives homage from his subjects and subservient chiefs.
The palace built by the British after the “War of the Golden Stool” was converted into a museum and officially opened on 12 August 1995 by the then king, Otumfuo Opoku Ware II. The opening of the museum was part of activities that marked the Silver Jubilee of his accession to the Golden Stool.
This palace was used as the office of the Kings. It served as Administrative headquarters of Asante Nation from 1925 to 1974 until Otumfuo Opoku Ware II moved from this office to the new residence at Manhyia. Several artefacts are displayed in the museum. They include furniture used by the Kings, the bronze head of Nana Sir Osei Agyeman Prempeh II, and a sketch map of the Asanteman.
There is also Asanteman’s first television at the museum, as well as life-sized wax effigies of some of the kings and queens of Asanteman.