Lusaka National Museum
The Lusaka National Museum is the largest national museum in the Zambian capital Lusaka . It is located in the center of the metropolis on Independence Avenue in the immediate vicinity of the Freedom Statue . The focus of the museum includes the presentation of the early human development and settlement of today's Zambia, the British colonial times and independence movement as well as the current cultural practice of various Zambian ethnic groups .
history
Initially, the museum was primarily intended to depict the political history of the still young nation of Zambia in the course of independence from the United Kingdom in 1964. This focus corresponded to that of many emerging African museums at the time. With the support of the People's Republic of China , construction began in the early 1980s.
In the meantime, the de facto deselection of long-time President Kenneth Kaunda in 1991 changed the political landscape of Zambia and with it the originally planned orientation of the National Museum. The supervision of the facility under construction was transferred to the national museum authority, the National Museums Board Zambia (NMB) . The exhibition design was therefore diversified and should now more closely follow a cultural and socio-historical approach. Following the 32nd anniversary of Zambia's independence on October 25, 1996, the museum was opened after many years of construction.
exhibition
The exhibition area extends over the ground floor and the first floor of the building. On the upper floor, the human tribal history is presented in the course of various epochs from early history to the development of Homo sapiens in southern Africa .
The historical cross-section is illustrated by around 200 archaeological finds as well as several hundred historical everyday objects. For example, the use of fire, which probably took place for the first time in what is now Zambia, is integrated into the museum presentation. Another area is the documentation of the cultural practice of various ethnic groups in the region. With the help of plastic models, scenes from rural areas, such as handicraft and agricultural techniques, as well as the clothing styles of the Zambian ethnic groups are illustrated. The Lusaka National Museum has about 1500 ethnographic exhibits and works of contemporary craftsmanship.
The illustration of political history focuses on the colonization by the British South African Company (BSAC) under Cecil Rhodes and the enforcement of British colonial rule in what was then Northwest and Northeast Rhodesia from 1891 (merged as Northern Rhodesia from 1911). In addition, the development of Zambia after 1964 has played a less important role in exhibition design.
The important inventory of the museum includes a replica of the skull of the "Broken Hill Man", which miners discovered in 1921 as one of the first hominid remains in Africa near what is now the small town of Kabwe . The find dates from the Pleistocene , so its age is estimated at around 200,000 to 300,000 years. Whether the skull is a species of human specifically classified as Homo rhodesiensis remains a matter of dispute in research. In addition, the museum houses some original items that received special value in the course of Zambia's independence, including a flashlight or medals from former members of liberation organizations.
In addition to changing thematic exhibitions, exhibits by outstanding Zambian artists from the recent past and present are presented on the ground floor. For example, works by Henry Tayali , the country's most internationally known painter , visual artist and art lecturer, find their place here. Young artists are also regularly given a platform to present their work in-house. In addition, the Lusaka National Museum offers various educational programs to convey Zambian cultural heritage and cultural practice. One of these programs is dedicated to the transfer of knowledge through “ storytelling ” on the traditions and customs of the various ethnic groups, especially to younger generations.
Visitor information
The National Museum is open to visitors every day (except for Christmas and New Years) from 9 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. and has a bistro in the foyer area.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ Executive Secretary: About Lusaka Museum. National Museums Board Zambia, February 7, 2015, accessed July 29, 2020 .
- ^ Francis Lungu: Lusaka National Museum unmasked. Zambia Daily Mail Limited, September 28, 2018, accessed July 30, 2020 .
- ^ Executive Secretary: Lusaka National Museum Collections. National Museums Board Zambia, February 8, 2015, accessed July 29, 2020 .
- ^ Executive Secretary: Permanent Exhibition: Archeology. National Museums Board Zambia, February 9, 2015, accessed August 2, 2020 .
- ^ Exploring The Fossil Record - Homo rhodesiensis. Bradshaw Foundation, accessed August 2, 2020 .
- ^ Lusaka National Museum. Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, accessed July 30, 2020 .
- ↑ Yvonne Ruwe Mulala: Children and Culture: A Case Study of 'Re-living Folklore of Zambian Communities Through Storytelling'. (PDF) Chief Albert Luthuli Museum, October 29, 2009, accessed August 1, 2020 .
- ^ Executive Secretary: Lusaka Museum Visitor Information. National Museums Board Zambia, February 7, 2015, accessed July 29, 2020 .