Erthnographic museum in butare
The ethnographic museum in Rwanda is one of the popular sites for most cultural tours in Rwanda. Rwanda is a very beautiful and peaceful country that has got first time visitors mesmerized by her natural beauty, and not to mention the clean streets of Kigali City. Some of the interesting sites that visitors on holiday in Rwanda get to visit include; Volcanoes National Park, Gishwati-Mukura National Park, Nyungwe Forest National Park, and Akagera National Park.All can be visited during your rwanda safari/ rwanda tour.
Although Rwanda is well known her tragic past of the 1994 genocide that claimed the lives of thousands of civilians, the country has overcome a lot to get past her past and move forward. Today, Rwanda is among one of the countries in Africa with a fast- rising economy. A great portion of its success can be attributed to her tourism industry which is apparently one of the top foreign exchange earners in the country. Rwanda is among the top destinations in Africa for gorilla trekking activities. Visitors travelling to the relatively small East African country are bound to have the best experience during their safari.
A visit to Rwanda is not complete without a visit to any of the cultural sites in the country. One of the famous cultural sites in Rwanda is the Ethnographic museum, which is also known as the National Museum of Rwanda. This museum is strategically located in Butare town, in Huye district. The ethnographic museum is located approximately one kilometer from Kigali City. It is one of the six museums that make up the Institute of National Museums of Rwanda.
The ethnographic museum in Rwanda was constructed with financial support from the Belgian government. In 1989, this museum was opened to the general public as a tourist site. The main aim of constructing the ethnographic museum, was to conserve the Rwandan culture, her rich historical past that dates back to the days when the country was still a monarchy, under the governance of traditional kings.
The Ethnographic museum in Butare in Rwanda has 7 exhibition has, which feature unique cultural and historical items. The first exhibition hall consists of a gift shop where visitors can get lots of souvenirs to take back home as a reminder of their visit to Rwanda.
The second exhibition hall in the museum features a display of geological items such as a relief map, which shows detailed information of Rwanda’s landscape. The third and fourth exhibition halls contain display items of artifacts such as hunting, agricultural, woodwork, and pottery.
The Ethnographic museum in Butare also features a large traditional hut called a ‘Kagondo’ that forms the centerpiece of an exhibit of houses and courtyards which existed during pre-colonial times. The museum also has three other exhibition halls that feature traditional Rwandan clothing such as the ‘isinde’ which is a raincoat made out of straws, goat skin capes, and pounded bark cloth. The museum also features a separate exhibition hall where temporary/ occasional exhibitions are carried out.
The ethnographic museum in Butare, Rwanda is open to tourists all through the year. However, the museum has specific hours of operation which starts from 8am every morning to 6pm every evening. The museum is always closed on 7th April, which is the Genocide Memorial Day. The ethnographic museum is also closed on ‘Umuganda’ days from 11am to 6pm. This day is specifically set aside for the general public to take part in community service activities, which mainly includes cleaning the streets.
Tourists visiting the Ethnographic museum in Butare in Rwanda, are given a detailed insight to the historical, cultural and religious background of the people of Rwanda. The museum is the ideal destination for education tours, and is a great place for both students and researchers alike to carry out research on various topics in regards to the museum and its neighboring communities.
The museum is also used as a meeting spot for people from all walks of life such as scientists, artists, and students. The museum is also a good venue for holding cultural functions/ ceremonies as well as entertainment from cultural dance groups. Visitors can also take part in the dance performances held at the museum.
Visitors who wish to visit the ethnographic museum in Butare will have to drive for about 1½ hours from Kigali City. Visitors can also use a motorcycle, also known as boda boda or taxi moto. This is the quickest and most convenient way for visitors to get to the museum, and also explore the city.
A visit to the Ethnographic museum in Butare in Rwanda can be combined with a city tour of Kigali city, gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park, Chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe national park, a game drive in Akagera national park, or a cultural tour.
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