By Professor Kenneth Mufuka, Former Director, Great Zimbabwe Museums and Monuments
International Museum Day, celebrated every year on 18 May, is a global reminder of the power of museums in preserving heritage, educating communities, and connecting generations across cultures. The 2026 theme, “Museums Uniting a Divided World,” highlights how cultural institutions can bridge history, identity, and humanity.
At independence in 1980, I was invited to take up the position of Director of Zimbabwe National Monuments, a role that was then considered insignificant. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Robert Mugabe, the Great Zimbabwe Monument after which the nation derives its name was elevated into a symbol of national pride, tourism, and African achievement.The Great Zimbabwe Monument stands as a powerful testimony of what Africans accomplished in the past and what the future can still become. It reflects the legacy of the Monomutapa Empire, which flourished between 1150 and 1450 AD, leaving behind extraordinary stone architecture and cultural artefacts of unmatched grandeur, including the iconic Zimbabwe Birds, one of which is proudly displayed on the national flag.At its height, Great Zimbabwe covered approximately 1,800 acres and was home to an estimated 10,000 inhabitants. The site was sustained by natural and engineered water systems, including a perennial spring beneath the present-day museum and a man-made reservoir at the foot of the Hill Complex. Through conservation work, I was able to help restore the original spring by clearing debris that had long blocked its flow.In a symbolic moment of cultural restoration, the final Zimbabwe soapstone birds once removed during the colonial era have now been returned in April 2026. Among them, the revered Hungwe Bird, associated with rainmaking rituals and ancestral identity, stands as a powerful emblem of cultural restoration and pride. My academic and restoration work, supervised by Professor Stanelake Samkange, resulted in the manuscript “Dzimbahwe: Life and Politics in the Golden Age 1100–1500 AD,” which helped challenge colonial narratives that denied African architectural and intellectual capacity. Today, it is widely accepted that Great Zimbabwe was built entirely by Africans, with no evidence of Arab or European presence south of Egypt during its construction period.International Museum Day reminds us that museums and heritage sites are not just repositories of the past they are living classrooms of identity, unity, and inspiration. Great Zimbabwe embodies this spirit, offering visitors a deeply transformative experience.
Visitors are encouraged to set aside at least five hours for the tour, beginning early at the Hill Complex before midday heat, pausing at the restaurant, and continuing through the breathtaking journey of discovery. The Great Enclosure particularly the magnificent Great Wife’s House remains the crown jewel of the experience.
As we celebrate International Museum Day, let us recognize Great Zimbabwe not only as a monument of stone, but as a living symbol of African heritage, unity, and pride that continues to speak to the world.
I thank you
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