Visiting the Uganda National Museum
A stone’s throw from the best hotels in Kampala, the Uganda National Museum is a hybrid of cultural, natural, historical, and some mythical exhibits which all come together to offer a comprehensive look at the traditions of Uganda and what frames the country as it is today.
With so much for tourists and visitors to immerse themselves in, both within the walls of the museum building and through the selection of connected attractions and stopping points, this is one of the must-do’s on any Uganda itinerary. And in this blog, we’re going to let you know why.
What the museum offers to visitors
It’s rare to find such an immersive look at historical and traditional Uganda, sharing an address with some of the city’s major hotels with meetings rooms and Kampala’s event spaces — however, the national museum is somewhat of a local treasure.
Founded in 1908, it contains a plethora of objects of interests, and is recognised today as the oldest museum in East Africa — still going strong in terms of its interest.
Traditional culture and the varying ways of Ugandan life are popular themes across the museum, with the Ethnography Gallery particularly prominent in terms of its displays and cases which offer insight into traditional dress, objects from warfare, furnishings and decorative tapestries, and more.
The cultural village
One of the highlights of a trip to the Uganda National Museum is a visit to the immersive exhibit which sits out the back of the museum and which provides a perfect juxtaposition between it and the 5 star accommodation in Uganda, that the country is now known for.
Putting a spotlight on how communities across Uganda used to live, this cultural village brings to life a series of huts which, under their rooves and canopies, depict how Ugandan people used to live in different communities and areas of the country. A number of objects and artefacts help visitors to really see and understand how these communities lived and made a living on the land — with everything from cooking utensils to bedding and more offering an up-close look at traditional Uganda as it used to be.
At present there are around sixteen different huts in the cultural village, all made using the original materials that would have been used many generations ago.
Getting to the museum
If you’re staying at the Casa Solada Uganda or another central location, you will likely need to hire a drive to get to the Uganda National Museum — something which the team behind your hotel desk should be able to advise and help you with.
If you want to join one of the museum tours then it is recommended that you book in advance, otherwise you can pay the entrance fee on arrival with no issues.
Finally, when visiting the museum, we recommend leaving yourself plenty of time to really explore and wander around the different exhibits — with the multitude of galleries all offering insight into different aspects of Ugandan history. An attraction not to be missed!
