National Museums of Tanzania (NMT)

The National Museum of Tanzania is a consortium of five Tanzanian museums whose purpose is to preserve and show exhibits about the history and natural environment of Tanzania. The consortium developed from the National Museum of Dar es Salaam, established in 1934 by Tanganyika governor Harold MacMichael. Four more museums later joined the consortium, namely the Village Museum in Dar es Salaam, the National History Museum and the Arusha Declaration Museum in Arusha, and the Mwalimu Julius K. Nyerere Memorial Museum in Butiama.

The term, ‘Museum’ (in Tanganyika) started during German Colonial Rule (German East Africa Colonial Government) when collection of different objects started. However, the idea of building a museum in Tanganyika was realized by the British with the construction of the King George V Memorial Museum from 1938-1939.

Its extension was intentionally done later, after Tanganyika’s independence (9^th December, 1961) to offer rooms for storage and exhibition. This was followed by the presentation of Zinjanthropus’ skull to then, President Julius Kambarage Nyerere by Dr. Louis S. B. Leakey, 26^th January, 1965 and later, it became the National Museum of Tanzania.

The National Museum of Tanzania (NMT) was established as a body corporate under the National Museum Act No.7 of 1980 as a scientific, educational and cultural institution. Its responsibilities are to acquire, research, document, conserve, and display all materials related to Tanzania’s cultural and natural heritage.

In preservation of natural and cultural heritage, the National Museum of Tanzania disseminate such knowledge to the public through cultural and education programmes, exhibitions, publications, print and electronic media.

The National Museum of Tanzania has been enhancing and expanding its services by opening branches in different regions of the country in order to reach the public.

Some branches were opened even before the Act. The National Museum of Tanzania is currently instituted by seven museums: Museum and House of Culture and Village Museum, in Dar es Salaam, Natural History Museum and Arusha Declaration Museum in Arusha, Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere’s Memorial Museum in Butiama, Musoma, Mara region, and Maji Maji Memorial Museum and Kawawa Memorial Museum in Songea. Ruvuma region.

The National Museum of Tanzania also oversees over 90 heritage sites which located all over the country.

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