Museums and Monuments

It was the first public museum and 2009 was organized in a two storey building known as the “OLD MANDALA MESS”, Leased from the African Lakes Corporation (Mandala).  It opened its doors in July, 1960.

Exhibition theme was a ‘general’ one based on displays of natural history, ethnography, history and archaeology. It was opened to the public in July 1960.

This was the first purpose-built museum building constructed at Chichiri Hill in Blantyre in 1965.

Officially opened in June 1966 and has one main exhibition hall where displays of natural history, ethnography, history and archaeology are exhibited.

It also features open air exhibits among which are a traditional hut (ndiwula), Iron ore Smelting Furnace and a collection of engines and relics built around 1890’s.

It is the main centre for cultural activities.

This museum was established by the Society of Malawi in old Gymkhana Club in 1971.

It was eventually handed over to the Museum Trustees in 1976

This made the name of Museum of Malawi change to pluralism hence Museums of Malawi as the establishment was then called.

Exhibition theme for this museum is ‘’the people of the Lake and Their Environment”.

It is divided into four sections: The natural history section, the history, archaeology and ethnography, Lake Malawi steamer transport and the aquarium.

Very outstanding on its display is a dummy of the Guendolen gunboat. The gun boat displays original navigation equipment. It began operations in 1899. It is famous because in first world war on 13^th August,1914 when it put out of action the German gunboat, Herman Von Wissmann on Lake Nyasa. News of this unprecedented event reached England during the early days of German advance into France and was headlined in the Times as “Naval history on Lake Nyasa.”

This museum was restored from an old postal rest hut and organized into a functional wayside museum to depict the development of early postal services in Malawi.

The hut is situated at Namaka in Chiradzulu District, along the Chilembwe Highway midway between Blantyre and Zomba.

Before 1941, mail services in Malawi (Nyasaland that time) were carried out from one point to another on foot. The hut served as a rest hut as well as an exchange point for mail carriers operating between Blantyre and Zomba since Namaka was nearly the midpoint between Blantyre and Zomba approximately 70 kilometers apart.

The history of the hut has been of great interest to the local community who call the place “Mtokoma”.

This museum was first organized in rented premises of Chenda Mkandawire in the City of Mzuzu.  It was later relocated to MPICO Building. Currently, the museum is in the IK Enterprises next to the Northern Region Government Building Complex, but the exhibition is yet to be mounted.

The project to set up this Museum began in 1985 and received financial assistance from the Canadian High Commission. The Museum was opened to the public (unofficially) in September 1990.

Exhibition theme is “Northern Malawi, The People and the Land”.

Culture Museum Centre Karonga (CMCK) Museum is modelled on the public-private partnership between the Government of Malawi through the Department of Museums and Monuments and the Uraha Foundation Malawi, which was facilitated through donors such as European Union, GTZ, Press Trust and Uraha Foundation Germany.

CMCK is supported by the Town and District Council of Karonga, the chiefs and the people of Karonga district.

The Centre’s mission is to preserve and promote Karonga’s natural and cultural heritage.

The Exhibition theme is “From stone age to democracy”.

It houses fossils of Dinosaurs and early human and pre-historic remains which provide an insight into human origins and history of life on earth.

At Khondowe the church, old post office, industrial block, House Number 1 and stone house.

The fascinating museum in Stone House (once the home of Livingstonia founder Dr Robert Laws, and now a national monument) tells the story of the European arrival in Malawi and the first missionaries. Here you can read Dr Laws’ letters and books, including the old laws of Nyasaland, and persue black-and-white photos of early missionary life in Livingstonia.

The independence Arch in Blantyre, Malawi. It symbolizes Malawi’s Independence from Great Britain attained in 1964.

The Zomba Memorial is located within Zomba Kings African Ritles Cantonment Cemetery which is inside the Zomba army barracks known locally as Cobbe Barracks, 2kms south of Zomba on the Blantyre road.

The memorial commemorates 125 members of the East African Forces who died in Malawi during the Second World War, whose graves could not be maintained.

Located at the centre of Lilongwe between the Capital Hill and area 18 filling station, the memorial tower is set in the same compound as a statue of the first president of Malawi, Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda.

The monument was constructed in honor of all soldiers and civilians who died during first and second world wars and other military operations both within Malawi and outside

The marble and granite mausoleum is the final resting place of Malawi’s ‘president for life’, Dr Hastings Kamuzu Banda. Between four pillars bearing the initials of his most prized principles, unity, loyalty, obedience and discipline is a wrinkled portrait of the ‘lion of Malawi’. Guide at the entrance will show you around in exchange.

Located in Likoma Island, St Peters Cathedral is the principal church of the Anglican Diocese of northern Malawi. After the foundation stone was laid by Bishop Gerald Trower in 1903, the cathedral was dedicated in 1905 and completed by Bishop Thomas Cathrew Fisher in 1911.

Native granite was used in the cathedrals construction, while other materials were carried over from the mainland and other countries, including bricks, timer, lime and cement.