Zambia Museums and Art Galleries

(Zambia, ZM, Southern Africa)

Whilst it is tempting to head straight to Zambia's natural wonders, such as the Victoria Falls, it is worth dedicating some of your stay in the country to finding out a little about its cultural heritage.

Zambia's museums and art galleries offer a fascinating insight into the country's history. Above all, they provide a glimpse into the lives of its people, as well as their traditions and rituals.

In particular, Lusaka's National Museum preserves an eclectic collection of artefacts. Likewise, the Livingstone Museum throws some light onto the life and times of the most famous explorer in these parts, David Livingstone.

Lusaka National Museum

Address: Nasser Road, Lusaka, Zambia, ZM, Africa
Exhibits in this museum of regional cultural history include a selection of Zambian art works, such as paintings and sculptures, as well as maps and photographs. On the upper floor are archaeological artefacts and those that relate to the country's rich ethnography. Of particular interest is an exhibition of witchcraft-related items, together with an assortment of materials that cover Zambia's fight for independence.
Open hours: daily - 09:00 to 16:30
Admission: charge

Choma Museum and Crafts Project

Address: Choma, Zambia, ZM, Africa
Located right on the main road that runs between Lusaka and Livingstone, the Choma Museum is a popular stop-off point for many tourists travelling overland. The museum was set up in the late 1980s to preserve the traditions and cultural heritage of the Tonga people and is housed in a converted former school building. Handicrafts, including baskets, paintings and hand-dyed shirts, are sold in the gift shop to help generate funds.
Open hours: daily - 08:00 to 17:00
Admission: charge

Copperbelt Museum

Address: Buteko Avenue, Ndola, Zambia, ZM, Africa
This small museum aims to enlighten visitors about the copper industry in Zambia, and covers everything relating to the processing of copper, including mining and smelting. The gift shop that is attached to the venue offers a chance to take home a souvenir or two, including a selection of unusual pictures in copper relief work.
Open hours: daily - 09:00 to 17:00
Admission: charge

Livingstone Museum

Address: Mosi-oa-Tunya Road, Livingstone, Zambia, ZM, Africa
This is Zambia's largest and oldest museum, dating as far back as the 1930s. Within its walls are various relics of the country's past. The Livingstone Room is particularly interesting, being home to a collection of artefacts that are linked with the world-famous explorer David Livingstone (1813 to 1873).
Open hours: daily - 08:30 to 16:30
Admission: charge

Moto Moto Museum

Address: Mbala, Zambia, ZM, Africa
'Moto moto' translates as 'fire fire'. It was nicknamed thus after Bishop Dupont, who was engaged in missionary work in the north of Zambia from 1885. The attraction itself has been open to the public since the early 1970s. However, many of the resident artefacts were being gathered together much earlier than that. Their preservation was the work of French-Canadian Roman Catholic missionary Father Jean Jacques Corbeil, who used a local mission for storage. At the museum, visitors can gain an insight into many aspects of life in Zambia, including the tools used in local craftworking.
Open hours: daily - 09:00 - 16:45
Admission: charge

Railway Museum

Address: Chishimba Falls Road, Livingstone, Zambia, ZM, Africa
Housed within the locomotive sheds of the former Zambezi Sawmills Railway, Livingstone's Railway Museum is worth looking out for. Visitors will learn all about the story of what is reputed to have been the longest railway line in private ownership, in the world.
Open hours: daily - 08:30 to 16:30
Admission: charge

Victoria Falls Field Museum

Address: Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, Livingstone, Zambia, ZM, Africa
Located within the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, the Victoria Falls Field Museum is sited around an actual archaeological site, which has been excavated down to the Pleistocene levels of the Zambezi River. Exhibits tell the story of the formation of the Victoria Falls, as well as the region's prehistoric past. Also on display are the stone tools used by early man over two million years ago.
Open hours: daily - 10:30 to 17:00
Admission: charge