The Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife, and Antiquities (MoTWA) announced that the Uganda National Museum will close for ten months from August 1, 2024, to May 31, 2025, for restoration and modernization funded by the World Bank. This renovation will focus on digitizing the museum to enhance the presentation of Uganda’s cultural and natural heritage, which has not been significantly updated since 1954.
During the closure, regional museums in Soroti and Kabale will remain open, and 10 historical sites accessible to the public. This announcement follows the recent return of 39 artifacts from the Cambridge Museum in the UK, aimed at rectifying historical injustices and enriching Uganda’s cultural narrative. Selected artifacts will be displayed upon the museum’s reopening.