The Uganda national museum is the biggest and oldest museum in Uganda. It is located on Kiira road near Mulago Hospital about 4kms from Kampala city the capital city of Uganda. It was founded in 1908 after governor George Wilson called for articles of interest. If seeing is believing then you must visit the Uganda Museum that displays and exhibits ethnological, natural historical and traditional life collections of Uganda’s cultural heritage all under one roof . In other words it displays Uganda’s indigenous culture, archaeology, history, science, and natural history. The museum has got different sections with different types of items like for example; playable musical instruments, hunting equipment, Weaponry, Archaeology, and many others.
DIRECTIONS TO DIFFERENT SECTIONS
Past the reception there are different directions leading to different sections of the museum;
If you walk straight through the lobby you will be able to see or enter the independence pavilion of science and Technology . If you turn left , you will be able to access the musical instrument section as well as the Stone Age Gallery . To the right is the history and Iron Age displays. There is also a strong reed doorway leading to the traditional life gallery ,the natural history centre and the palaeontology centre.
NATURAL HISTORY SECTION
In the natural history section, you will be able to see insects, fish, reptiles and bird species in Uganda. You will be able to learn about Uganda’s rivers and lakes, The types of bird species include; sunbird, skimmer, beaded wood pecker, casqued, hornbill , secretary bird, black winged stilt among others.
Insects displayed include; grasshoppers, Moths, Bees, Ants, Wasps and butterflies.
The fishdisplayed include; Tillapilalilaea, Barbusbynny and others.
Reptiles include; water cobra, Gecko, cabon viper, boom, slag.
STONE AGE SECTION
In the stone Age section you will be able to see physical tools said to have been used by the stone age people which were regarded as Ancestors. It also covers the culture and tribes of different kinds of people. Their behaviours, the dress code, language , customs and totems and other things. The tools that were used included; stones, bones, and wood for different purposes. In this section there were grass thatched houses and in these houses your able to see the display materials used in homes such pots, mats, milk containers, knives , bowls among others. There also displays of local industry like fishing, salt working, clothing, and settlements. There also hair dresses and popular hair styles of different ethnic groups.
EARLY HISTORY SECTION
This is the most interesting section in the Ugandan museum . It shows evolution of man up to present day. The section contains Iron made from iron ore. Cloth was made from the back of the fig tree for clothing especially among the Bantu. There also hunting materials in this section which include; spears, horns, arrows of all kind. The historical sites are also an item on display and they include Bigobyamugyenyi, tombs of kings, Kibuuka omumbaale and the shrine of the Kabaka of Buganda.
MUSIC GALLERY SECTION
In the music gallery, there are indigenous music instruments that produce good and organised sound that one is able to enjoy the traditional African music coming out from different musical instruments like drums, lyres, xylophone, harps, tube fiddles, and others from different tribes of Uganda . All these instruments are on the display in this section. The museum employs traditional dancers and singers who can play these instruments to entertain the visitors to the fullest.
PALEONTOLOGY SECTION
In the palaeontology section , one is able to learn more about environmental and climatic changes , paintings of early settlements, archaeological excavations and traditional architecture.
SCIENCE INDUSTRY SECTION
In the science industry sector, there are stones, minerals, and rocks that are found in Uganda. Minerals include limestone, phosphate tin, iron, wolfram and others. It also displays transport means especially the Dhow and canoes that were used by the Arabs into Uganda and the litter that was used to carry Ugandan Kings and Queens. Still under this section the background of Agriculture like Banana plantation in the central part of Buganda, Sorghum in the Kigezi and Eastern part and Millet in the Northern parts of Uganda are all on the display in this section.
The Uganda Museum has got gardens and halls that are normally available for hosting parties, workshops, bazaars and also for hosting craft shops and other functions that may be allowed by the guides or by the rules of the Museum.
The number of visitors depend on the season. There are peak seasons usually in April and July whereby the Museum receives the biggest number of visitors per day. The kind of visitors that normally visit the museum are school children that normally go in for study purposes.
All kind of visitors are allowed to access the Museum as long as you pay. It opens from Monday to Saturday from 8am -7pm. And on Sundays its opens like in afternoon hours . Uganda Museum is under the department of Antiquities and museum in the ministry.
ENTRACE FEE
Ugandan Adults2000/=
Ugandan children 1000/=
Non-Ugandan Adults 5000/=
Non-Ugandan Adults 1500/=
If a visitor is carrying a still camera then your charged extra money like 5000/= approximately and also if a visitor is carrying a video camera he or she will be charged extra money like 20000/= approximately.