UGANDA UNVEILS GROUND-BREAKING MOBILE MUSEUM TO PRESERVE TRADITIONAL MEDICINE HERITAGE

In a ceremony that drew government officials, researchers, cultural practitioners and members of the public to the Uganda National Museum in Kampala, Uganda, the Ministry of Tourism Wildlife and Antiquities through her department of Museums and Monuments took a bold step toward safeguarding one of its most vital yet endangered forms of heritage, ‘Traditional Medicine”

The Traditional Medicine in Transition (TMT) Mobile Museum Exhibition was officially launched in February of this year, marking the culmination of years of interdisciplinary research conducted across 45 districts of the country and representing, in the organisers' words, a landmark moment in Uganda's cultural and scientific history.

A MUSEUM THAT COMES TO THE PEOPLE

Unlike conventional museums, the TMT exhibition is housed in a purpose-designed container that can be transported to communities across the country, effectively bringing the museum to the people rather than waiting for the people to come to it.

The Guest of Honour, Hon. Martin Mugarra Bahinduka, the State Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities

"This is a paradigm shift in museum practice," said Hon. Martin Mugarra Bahinduka, the State Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, who served as Guest of Honour at the launch. He described the initiative as transforming museums "from static institutions into dynamic, community-oriented platforms capable of reaching wider audiences."

Inside the container, visitors encounter interactive displays exploring medicinal plants and ecological knowledge, the role of traditional healers, ethical and safety considerations, the intersection of indigenous and modern healthcare and the future of traditional medicine in Uganda.

After completing its mobile tour, the exhibition will be permanently installed in the herbal garden at the Uganda National Museum, where it will serve as a long-term educational resource.

The project is the product of a robust international collaboration uniting the Botanical Garden of the University of Zurich, Makerere University, Igongo Cultural Institute, PROMETRA Uganda, MAMITA Technical Institute and the Uganda National Museum. Research activities were funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation under its SOR4D programme, with exhibition and public engagement supported by the Lotteriefonds Kanton Zürich.

Dr. Caroline Weckerle, Principal Investigator and Head of the Botanical Garden at the University of Zurich, praised the more than decade-long partnership with the Department of Museums and Monuments and stressed the importance of translating research into formats accessible to communities and schools.

Dr. Godwin Anywar of Makerere University, speaking on behalf of the Co-Principal Investigators, paid tribute to the hundreds of researchers, field assistants, and traditional medicine practitioners who contributed their knowledge to the project.

Minister Bahinduka used his keynote address to draw attention to the growing threats facing Uganda's traditional medicinal knowledge. He pointed to generational transitions, the degradation of medicinal plant resources, shifting cultural values and increasing pressure from modern healthcare systems as forces eroding an irreplaceable body of indigenous wisdom.

The timing of the launch just days before World Wildlife Day 2026 was not lost on the Minister, who highlighted the deep connection between traditional medicine, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable resource use.

"Traditional medicine remains a vital pillar of Uganda's healthcare system and cultural identity, particularly in rural communities where it serves as a primary source of healthcare," he said, adding that the COVID-19 pandemic had underscored both the resilience of indigenous knowledge and the urgent need for its documentation and scientific validation.

The exhibition was met with overwhelming enthusiasm from those in attendance, who praised the scientific rigour of the underlying research, the visually engaging design of the displays and the inclusive participatory approach that shaped the project from the ground up.

The Minister personally toured the exhibition before officially declaring it open to the public a moment met with applause from a crowd that organisers described as diverse and deeply engaged.

Observers noted that the TMT Mobile Museum offers a replicable model for other African nations grappling with the challenge of preserving intangible cultural heritage in the face of rapid modernisation. By decentralising access to knowledge and anchoring exhibitions in community outreach, the project demonstrates how research institutions and cultural bodies can work together to serve the public good.

"Beyond its physical form," the official launch report states, the mobile museum serves as "a platform for intergenerational and interdisciplinary dialogue" and "a mechanism for responsible knowledge stewardship."

The event concluded with a call for continued collaboration, ethical engagement, and sustained commitment to preserving Uganda's traditional medicinal heritage for generations to come.