The Eye Recommends
NATIONAL
MUSEUM OF
RWANDA
I
t has often been called the best
museum in East Africa, and with
good reason. Built in 1987, the
National Museum of Rwanda
is a good source of information on
the cultural history of the country.
Absorbing displays of traditional
artefacts, lit up by an eye-catching
assortment of turn-of-the-century
monochrome photographs, provide
insights not only into pre-colonial
lifestyles, but also into the successive
development of Rwanda as a
contemporary African state.
The museum is located in Huye
district (formerly Butare), 135 km
South West of Kigali, and comprises
seven galleries.
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Layout of the museum
The artefacts collection is
historical, ethnographic, artistic and
archaeological in nature.
Gallery I is at the entrance and
consists of a ticket-counter and a
gift shop where handicrafts, booklets
and other items are sold. This room
is also usually used for temporary
displays. Exhibits are formed basing
on topics that can awaken awareness
in a particular circumstance or a given
event.
Gallery II has maps, photos and
other graphic displays that offer
geographical and linguistic information
concerning Rwanda.