The museum day which is celebrated on May 18th worldwide is a wakeup call to Rwandans who hardly ever or have never visited the sites.
Normally, the centres are equipped with ancient materials which illustrate more about the country’s history. Museums today are big business across the globe. In sharp contrast to the dull stereotypical conception of museums being places housing either ancient artifacts, museums today cover every topic one can fathom !
Though museums are not for profit, they certainly have a great impact on our lives and provide excellent learning opportunities for children.
In terms of education, going to a museum can bring what is taught in schools to life, by seeing artefacts for example. If children are learning about our traditional kingdom for example and they go to kings’ house in Nyanza, they are more likely to find it interesting and want to learn more about it. Research also shows that those who have had firsthand experience of such information are more likely to retain it in later life. Museums can then be an extremely valuable source of creativity, as many people find they are inspired and subsequently want to try such activities themselves.
Museums are also a significant factor in attracting tourists to an area and can therefore be instrumental in helping the local economy in terms of supplying a passing trade as well as offering local people employment. Rwanda’s tourism has so far registered a boom but little effort has gone into promoting the coutnry’s museums.
Museums are also instrumental to research programmes in this country. For many people undertaking research, museums provide an unrivalled wealth of information and resources as well as access to archives, scholars and highly trained professionals.
Gerome Karangwa from the National Museums of Rwanda (NMR) located in Butare argues that there should be more sensitisation to the public on the importance of visiting historical sites especially in learning institutions. He further urges the government to allocate more money in the national budget towards conservation of museums.
Some of the best known museums in the country include NMR, the kings’ house in Nyanza and in the city’s museum which was built in memory of the first Dutch colonialist in Rwanda Richard Kandt. In addition, the residence of former president Juvenal Habyarimana located in Kanombe sector has also not been left out it was recognised as a museum in 2008.
A visit to the late president’s house is still new to many yet it houses several fascinating features. The entrance to the villa is pinned with traditional pictures that show some of the cultural practices like various forms of attire and hair styles known as Masunzu. The photos date from 1900 up to1960.
Indeed, there might be attention-grabbing aspects in Late Habyarimana’s house yet the majority of the members of the public are yet to visit the house of a leader who’s regime encouraged ethnic division. Fred Barisanga a neighbour to the former presidential palace admits that he is among those who have no interest to tour the premises.
Besides, others still have the mindset that such visits are meant for tourists. “Yes I’m in more advantageous position to visit the house because I live around yet I’m afraid that I might not afford the entrance fee since I often see foreign visitors there,” Barisanga
remarks.
Ernestine Nyirafaranga, a shopkeeper who lives near the former president’s villa points out that even though she’s interested in touring the bungalow, her low income is a barrier to paying a visit to the museum.
But in the real sense, their fears are unfounded since locals are favoured. They are charged only charged Rwf 500 yet this amount may not be a hindrance to the majority. Jean Butoto an employee at the museum says that the number of visitors has increased since the house became operational three years ago. “At first we regisreed 50 visits per day but now we receive more than 200 with majority being students,” he comments.
Let’s face it : museums without visitors would be like lifeless, empty halls with no purpose.
This should remind us that the key role for museums is always to serve its visitors. On the other hand, government should encourage Rwandans to visit museums, more so, children, as a way of teaching them about our rich traditional culture.
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