Zimbabwe Museum of Human Sciences, National research museum in Harare, Zimbabwe.
The Zimbabwe Museum of Human Sciences in Harare is a research institution housing extensive archaeological discoveries, ethnographic objects, and natural history specimens displayed across multiple gallery spaces. Collections come from local excavations and document human settlement and development in this region over thousands of years.
Founded in 1903 as the Queen Victoria Museum, the institution was later restructured to focus on human sciences research and education. This transformation reflected changing priorities in how the country wanted to understand and present its own history and cultures.
The exhibitions display traditional Shona objects, including everyday tools and musical instruments that reflect how people lived and worked here across generations. These items reveal craftsmanship traditions and the daily life of communities in this region.
The institution is centrally located in Harare and easily reached on foot from the city center. Visitors can pace their visit based on how much time they want to spend in each exhibition area.
The collection includes the Ngoma Lungundu, a wooden artifact around 700 years old and considered one of the oldest of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa. This remarkable object showcases ancient craftsmanship and remains a focal point for visitors wanting to understand the region's deep history.
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