Uganda to open up more museums

PIC: Ven.  Gitta  Kavuma  the  Archdeacon for Mengo  Archdeaconry while  briefing representatives of  Uganda  tourism ministry on how they started the museum at St. Luke  Church Kibuye. On the right is  Kizaalwa. (Credit: Samuel Balagadde)

TOURISM

KAMPALA- Uganda has joined the rest of the world to celebrate the International Museum Day with the theme: "New approaches, new public.

The celebrations  were  marked  through touring  all  the city private  and national  museum sites  with a call  to administrators  to embrace  new approaches  to attract  the public  based  on this  year's  international  theme.

 Samuel  Kizaalwa,  the assistant for museums  and monuments,  said  they have so far  registered  30  private museum sites with  four national ones  that  are undergoing  renovations  and expansion to meet the  current demand.

He said  Kitante,  the oldest  national museum which was  constructed in  1954,   is  undergoing  renovations  and  adding new  collections  as  plans  for its  expansion  are  underway.

"We are  on final stages of completing the construction works for Soroti Museum located in Soroti town, seated on five acres as  we are work on that of Kabale along  Kisoro Road  as one heads to Lake Bunyonyi  and one in Moroto,' said  Kizaalwa.

Kizaalwa said there is  a need  for advanced  approaches  in packaging and  acquisition  of new  collections  to  attract the public.  

 The Uganda  Martyrs  Museum  Namugongo  with  artwork that reflects  how   the Uganda  Martyrs  were  murdered  because of their faith. (Credit: Samuel Balagadde)

However,  Kizaalwa  applauded  the  Anglican  Church,  mainly the  Mengo Archdeaconry headquarters  in Kibuye  and  Uganda Martyrs -Namugongo  for spearheading  the setting  up  of Church museums  to enable the  young  generation capture  the  genesis of their faith.

 Ven. John Gitta  Kavuma,  the  Archdeacon of Mengo, said  the  booming  tourism industry  in Uganda   calls  for government intervention  to support  those who have managed  to come up with private  museum sites.