West Africa is a celebration of the vibrancy of West African’s literature and music. The exhibition travels in time from the great African empires of the Middle Ages to the cultural dynamism of West Africa today. Extensive research on West Africa symbolism allowed the creation of a meaningful design system. Patterns are created from vertical lines of symbols; each symbol carrying a meaning that reflects the content of the section. Colours were carefully studied to help visitors navigate the space and to reflect the exhibition topic without becoming a pastiche.