Visit National Museum in Dar es Salam

Know and understand the history and culture of Tanzania at The National Museum. Here you will see artifacts depicting Tanzanian traditions that date back to the slave trade era and into the post-colonial period. View fossils from Olduvai Gorge in the Northern circuit that include the first hominid remains, called Zinjanthropus, also referred to as “Zinj” or ‘nutcracker man’. In addition, the museum regularly hosts exhibitions for guests to enjoy during their stay.

The Dar es Salaam National Museum is on Shabban Robert Street, next to the botanical gardens. Established in 1934 and open to the public since 1940, it was originally a memorial museum dedicated to King George V; one of the cars of the King is still on display. The museum was expanded in 1963, adding a second building. It is now dedicated to the history of Tanzania. Its most famous exhibits include some bones of Paranthropus boisei that were among the findings of Louis Leakey at Olduvai. The museum also has a large section dedicated to the Shirazi city-state of Kilwa. More historical miscellaneous material is related to German and British rule and ancient Chinese pottery. The museum also has ethnographic collections on Tanzanian cultures.