“A place where Culture meets its People”
Uganda Martyrs University Museum is one of the few anthropology museums in Uganda. The museum is making great strides in linking the past and future through exhibiting various collection including African warfare technologies, farming tools, traditional clothing, traditional dances, indigenous foods and traditions, medicine and practices, construction systems, hunting tools, religion (divinations), household tools, leisure activities and games, oral history, archeology, sculptures (art works) and the University history. Uganda Martyrs University Museum is also ranked as a community museum.
Its vision is to be the lead among university museums of natural and cultural heritage, a catalyst for intellectual discovery, a contributor to the University’s mission, and a connection to our research and collections for diverse constituents.
Thought the country, a few individuals, families and communities have initiated small museums, this has been done to preserve the local cultural heritage in the different doctrine communities. These are private initiatives arising from passion of the few Ugandans like universities, local organizations which have collected artifacts and set up museums or cultural centers.
The conservation and the roles of museums were redefined. The perceptions of heritage moved from artifacts and monuments alone to include living museums and the intangible cultural heritage. The definition of people, communities, scope of knowledge, customs, skills, traditions without limiting them to physical address has a devoid of much meaning.
Community museums where the university museum belongs alert the need to promote heritage usefulness and relevance to our different communities. Cultural identities and contributions’ ranking are high in the search for sustainable answers have been as a result of these private initiatives like that of Uganda Martyrs University Museum.
People today have a negative perspective about culture not knowing it is one of the keys to trigger development. Within this contest of development, the museum coordinates Heritage Education Programme on behalf of Cross Cultural Foundation of Uganda. This helps helped in teaching the young generations about culture which has helped them know their identity. This has also aided as a base to engage in activities like mat weaving, pot making and basket making which have aided in skill acquisitions and little money as a supplements to the students.
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