Belgium-based Africa Museum and the government of Rwanda are in advanced talks to renovate the national Museum, located in Huye, southern province, in a bid to promote cooperation and preserve the country’s history.

The initiative aimed at enhancing cooperation with the former colonies is currently at the final phase of discussions, pending implementation.

Amb. Robert Masozera, Director-General of the Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy, confirmed the development to The New Times, but said that the project is still on its technical level, before it's validated.

Masozera said that the project has two main objectives including renovating and 'decolonizing' the museum.

"The idea is not just to update it in the modern way, but we also want to decolonize the facility," he said.

For instance, Masozera pointed out, if you look at most of the archives, it is pretty much pre-colonial information and we want to update that and also accommodate the country’s history after gaining its own independence.

According to Masozera, the new proposed design is expected to accommodate a global view and new perspectives on modern and contemporary view.

Contemporary museum

Guido Gryseels, Director-General of Africa Museum, said that his institution plans to make the national museum a contemporary museum.

He said that part of the plan is to work with Rwandan scientists.

"We think that this museum is extremely important for understanding the history of Rwanda and understanding and the riches of its culture so it is important that it keeps receiving strong support," he told the media.

Since 1989, the national Museum has played a key role in the country’s development, including the preservation of history, as well as generating revenue for the country through tourism.

It is located in Huye district on the road to Nyungwe national park, 132 km from Kigali.

It is also the largest and most known of all the museums of Rwanda. The museum boasts of some of the best ethnographic and archaeological collections in East Africa of more than 10,000 artifacts.

The renovation Developments envisaged in the plan include the re-roofing Huye Ethnographic Museum, as well as expanding the museum beyond the building to the compound.