Kandt House Museum

Kandt House Museum of Natural History

Rear view of the museum in 2007.
Former name	Natural History Museum
Established	2006
Location	Kigali, Rwanda.
Type	Natural History Museum
Collections	evolution of life, flora and fauna of Rwandan Natural Parks (Nyungwe, Akagera and Volcanoes), geological background of Rwanda, German and Rwanda shared history and exhibition of live reptiles (snakes) to show the interrelation between nature and history.

Kandt House Museum, previously known as Kandt House Museum of Natural History, is a museum at KN 90 Street, Kigali, Rwanda about one kilometer west from downtown Kigali under the responsibility of the Institute of National Museums of Rwanda. The museum combines natural and historical exhibits, such as the flora and fauna of Rwandan Natural Parks Nyungwe, Akagera and Volcanoes, the geology of Rwanda, but also the German and Rwandan shared history and an exhibition of live snakes. The location offers panorama views of Mount Kigali, Mount Jali, Shyorongi and old Kigali city.

History

In 2006 the former home of the first German colonial governor Richard Kandt on the Nyarugenge Hill was turned into the Natural History Museum (NHM). Its name was changed into Kandt House Museum on December, 17th 2017.

Exhibits

• Rwandan life
  • before the colonial period.
  • during the colonial period, especially from 1884, the year of the Berlin Conference, under German rule and World War I up to 1916.
• Life and work of Richard Kandt.
• History of Kigali before and during colonial time, and its role as capital city.
• Live snakes and a baby crocodile measuring 1 m in 2017.

References

Entrance to the museum in 2007.