The National Museum of Rwanda is found in the town of Butare about 81 miles or 135 south of Kigali the capital city. In addition, Butare is said to be the centre of intellectuals in the country together with its National Museum, tree garden and many research and academic institutions including the University. The Butare Museum is located on over 50 acres rather 20 hectares of land. The buildings themselves take up 9,000 square metres. The land has been turned into gardens having indigenous vegetation and a traditional craft training centre, turning the whole place into an educational experience and a pleasure to tour.
Collection at the Museum
The artifact collection is essentially historical, ethnographic, artistic and archaeological. The public collection is displayed in seven rooms with the remaining artifacts in storage. In Room I, there is a ticket-counter, and gift shop where handicraft items, booklets and other 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.
Room II has maps, photos and graphics that offer geographical and linguistic knowledge concerning Rwanda. Both Rooms II and IV exhibit items used in several economic activities for example agriculture, cattle-breeding, bee-keeping, hunting and, fishing, basketry, pottery and wood curving. Room V portrays several kinds of Rwandan architecture, ancient ways if living and also social organisation. Room VI mainly portrays traditional clothing, adornment, together with recreation. Room VII puts forward pre-historic knowledge and presents the chronology pf the Kings, the Bami based on written and oral history. There are also displays about science of the extraction, working and properties of metals and their alloys, traditional religious practices, marriage and music.
The museum is the best ethnographic museum of East Africa. It properly reflects the time spirit at the end of the 19th Century when the East African kingdoms came into contact with the first Europeans. The rich penetrations concerning Rwanda’s traditional life and culture together with the subsequent growth during history, will pay a better understanding of African history.
