Number of visitors to the National Museum dwindles

SOUTHERN PROVINCE HUYE — Rwandans are not enthusiastic about visiting museums in the country, available statistics indicate. At the National Museum situated in Huye town, only 8,010 people have visited the Museum in the last six months. These include 2,742 foreigners. At the Rukari Ancient History Museum situated in Nyanza district, 4,540 people including foreigners visited the Museum during the same period. According to Jeanette Mugiraneza, a National Museum official in charge of planning, the number of visitors (local and foreign) has fallen drastically this year. “Last year we received over 35,000 visitors but I am afraid we will not hit that figure this year,” said Mugiraneza. She explained that this year, museum authorities started charging a small fee for a guided tour. “This could be the main cause of the low turn out,” she added. Mugiraneza said that there is need for an aggressive marketing campaign if they are to increase the number of visitors to the different Museums in the country. The National Museum in Butare charges between Frw200-Frw500 for locals and people from East and Central Africa, and between Frw1000-Frw3000 for foreigners. Apart from the two mentioned museums, there are several others run under the Institute of National Museums of Rwanda. They include Kibuye Museum, Kandt House in Kigali and Rwesero Art Museum. Plans are also underway to turn the former state house situated in Kanombe, Kigali into a Museum. Here, visitors will be able to have an overview of other Museums in the country. It will also be a centre for documentation, education and research, officials say. The National Museum in Butare has a collection of historical, ethnographic, artistic and archaeological artefacts. It also presents prehistoric information and shows the chronology of Rwanda’s kings based on written and oral tradition. The Museum has a rich library that serves as an important resource for researchers and students. The Rwandan Ancient History Museum was opened on May 24, 2008. It is the former home of King Mutara III Rudahigwa. According to Mugiraneza, the National Museum has also began training youths who dropped out of school in arts and crafts. “We are now training 158 youths. The Museum pays them for their products thus enabling them to earn an income,” said Mugiraneza. Ends