Museum professionals from Africa and Europe met in Kigali on Monday, September 21, for TheMuseumsLab, a six-day programme exploring how museums and memorial sites can use memory and heritage to shape the future.
TheMuseumsLab is a yearly initiative organised by Germany's Museum für Naturkunde that aims to promote joint learning, networking, professional development and critical discussions on the future of museums across Africa and Europe.
The programme has participants from 31 countries, with around 70 people taking part.
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Speaking at the event held at Rwanda Art Museum, Robert Masozera, Director General of the Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy (RCHA), said hosting the programme gives Rwanda an opportunity to showcase its heritage and strengthen its visibility internationally.
He noted that the participants include leaders of some of the world&039;s major museums, which gives Rwanda an opportunity to explain the country’s heritage to them, learn from them and enter partnership with them.
"The name itself explains the programme: TheMuseumsLab. A laboratory is a place where we experiment, test ideas and learn from one another. But, above all, it is a place where we are not afraid to ask questions,”
"I hope that, over the next six days, Rwanda will become that kind of laboratory for all of us. Not simply a place to visit, or a place to observe, but a place to question, exchange and discover.”
Masozera said RCHA has been connected to TheMuseumsLab since 2022, with six RCHA staff members having participated in the programme in Germany.
Meryem Korun, Head of TheMuseumsLab and team leader, said the 2026 edition is an opportunity for the participants to examine how memory and heritage can inform the future of museums.
"The programme includes workshops with experts, peer-group exchanges and panel discussions with artists, giving participants different ways to explore the issues under discussion,” she said.
Korun said participants bring different experiences, professional practices, expectations and questions, allowing them to learn from one another while building relationships that could lead to future collaborations.
"They may not find all the answers at once, but I think they will at least have opportunities to connect and build relationships for future collaboration with partners they meet throughout the week,” she said.
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Participants reflect on Rwanda
Participants said the programme gave them new perspectives on Rwanda’s history and heritage.
Fidelia Serwaa Ametewee, a Principal Research Assistant and doctoral student at the University of Ghana, said that although she had read extensively about the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, visiting the memorial sites gave her a deeper understanding of aspects of Rwanda’s history.
Ametewee said visiting memorials also challenged assumptions people can make about conflicts and problems on the African continent.
"Being at memorial sites gives you a bigger picture because they carry memories and historical information that may not be fully conveyed by what is simply displayed on the ground,” she said.
Paul Hort Jensen, a paintings conservator from Norway, said his experience in Kigali also offered a different perspective.
After visiting different parts of Kigali, he said he noticed a contrast in how people follow laws and described the city as safe.
He said the programme had also highlighted the importance of actively working with memory culture and engaging artists and artisans in that process.
"It is also important to engage with artisans and artists and give them space to work independently, at an arm’s length from government directives. I think that works here, and I appreciate seeing it,” Jensen said.
The six-day programme includes visits to museums, memorials and cultural sites, giving participants an opportunity to explore the country’s history, heritage and cultural development.
On September 22, participants will visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial to learn about the Genocide against the Tutsi and Rwanda’s efforts to preserve memory, educate future generations and prevent genocide ideology.
On September 23, they will visit the Ethnographic Museum in Huye and King’s Palace Museum in Nyanza, where they will explore the material culture and traditions that shaped Rwandan society before colonial rule.
On September 24, participants will visit the Ntarama Genocide Memorial in Bugesera District, focusing on memory, resilience and rebuilding, as well as the role of artists and communities in preserving memory and contributing to healing.
On September 25, participants will travel to Red Rocks in Musanze District to explore the relationship between culture and tourism, while also examining how new technologies are being used in museums through a research site.
The final day, September 26, will include visits to Kandt House Museum, Nyandungu and other sites in Kigali, giving participants further opportunities to explore Rwanda’s museums, heritage and cultural practices.