Rwanda Art Museum Kigali

Rwanda Art Museum Formerly the Presidential Palace Museum is one of the new museums displaying contemporary artworks from Rwanda as well as abroad.

The museum provides an insight into the historical and real Rwandan creativity. Exploring the development of art from olden times to the modern day, it considers how traditional and modern imaginations can blend and fuse together.

In the Rwanda art museum garden, visitors can view the remains of the presidential jet that crashed on April 6th, 1994. This poignant site, left untouched, stands as a testament to a significant moment in Rwandan history. The expansive museum is conveniently located in Kanombe, approximately four kilometres from the Kigali International Airport which is one of the major entry points into Rwanda.

Although it currently holds the distinction of being the country’s only contemporary art museum, it is not the first art museum in Rwanda. From 2007 to 2017, the Institute of National Museums of Rwanda operated an art museum in Rwesero-Nyanza, housed in a 1950s building intended to serve as the new royal palace for King Mutara III Rudahigwa.

Upon entering the museum visitors are greeted by artworks initially displayed at Rwesero, alongside newly acquired pieces from various Rwandan artists. According to officials from the Institute of National Museums of Rwanda, the decision to repurpose the building into an art museum was influenced by suggestions from visitors and local visual artists. The museum currently displays 127 artworks created by 51 different artists. These pieces span a wide range of artistic mediums, including sculptures, paintings, mixed media, and ceramics.

During our Kigali city tours, you will get to learn about all these historical sites and information about Rwanda, all these tours are guided by local guides who know the reality and facts and we highly recommend doing the Kigali city tour while in Rwanda it is on safari or a visit of any sort.