Nsazabaganwa calls for promotion of national museums

Huye/Nyanza-The Minister of Trade and Industry has challenged the Institute of National Museums of Rwanda (IMNR) to attract more visitors by conducting more promotional campaigns. She made the call, Tuesday, during a tour she conducted on the heritage sites located in the Southern Province. During her visit,Monique Nsanzabaganwa toured the Royal Palace and the National Museum in Nyanza and Huye districts. Nsanzabaganwa, who noted that a big number of the local people are yet to visit any museum in the country, also observed that museums are a good tourist sites , which ‘could generate more funds at the same level as the national parks because they are richer in our cultural heritage.” “Generally it is known that Museums have been in existence over time that people have developed a belief that they (museums) are only there to serve curious people. They know they are places where facts, objects and events of the past are displayed. But many never have developed a greater interest in visiting them, claiming they know what is displayed in such places,” she said. The Minister called for the use of available technologies and ICT to reach potential foreign tourists. “Museums have greater and rich historical objects that can interest everyone, including even that one who purports to know what is being displayed in the museum”, Nsanzagabanwa noted. She called for the need to reinforce the communication strategy of such institutions - to reach large population, in Rwanda and beyond. “I really hope that media houses and internet can help in this campaign,” she said. The Director General of the Institute of National Museums of Rwanda, Alphonse Umulisa, appealed for collective responsibility to mobilize more visitors. “We want everyone’s participation to reach every member of our society and others who could be interested in our culture or history. Our culture is very rich and the time has come for everyone to discover its richness,” Umulisa said, vowing to intensify the institution’s initiatives to increase tourists to the museums. Ends