Uganda Museum in Kampala, Kampala: Tickets, Hours and Family Guide
Museums and history in Kampala, Kampala
Photo: Auto-generated feature card
Uganda's national museum on Kira Road in Kampala, with human origins, natural history, ethnography and outdoor huts - currently closed for renovation.
What is Uganda Museum?
The Uganda Museum on Kira Road in Kampala is the country's national museum, founded in 1908 and moved to its present site in the 1950s. It holds East Africa's most important collections of archaeology, palaeontology, ethnography and natural history, including early hominid fossils, stone tools, royal drums of Buganda, over 200 traditional instruments and a famous diorama of Ugandan kob.
Outside, the museum garden has historic vehicles, traditional Ganda huts and heritage trees planted by visiting dignitaries since the early 1900s. The museum runs a 90-minute guided tour twice a day and hands-on school programmes. As of 2026 it is temporarily closed for renovations - check before travelling.
The museum holds Uganda's national collections of archaeology, palaeontology and ethnography and runs education programmes for schools.
Uganda Museum ticket prices 2026
| Visitor type | Adult | Child | Toddler |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya / East African resident | UGX 5,000 | UGX 2,000 | Free |
| Non-resident | UGX 5 | UGX 2 | Free |
Citizens UGX 5,000 adult and UGX 2,000 child; East African residents UGX 5,000; international visitors USD 5 adult and USD 2 child; school groups free. Photography is allowed without flash.
Family cost calculator
Estimate your total visit cost in seconds. Set your family size, choose your residency status and add optional extras. The calculator uses the same rates shown above.
Calculate your visit cost
Estimates only, based on the rates above. Extras vary.
💡 Money-saving tips for families
- Check it is open The museum is closed for renovations in 2026 - confirm before travelling
- Take the guided tour It runs at 10am and 2pm and brings the collections to life
- Combine with Ndere Both are in the same part of Kampala
Is it right for your child's age?
| Age group | Verdict | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| 0-2 years | Okay | Short visit with a carrier |
| 3-5 years | Okay | Animal specimens and the outdoor huts |
| 6-9 years | Good | Human origins and the instrument gallery |
| 10-12 years | Great | Archaeology and natural history |
| 13+ years | Great | Full galleries and the guided tour |
Perfect visit planner
How much time do you have? Pick your window and we'll show you the ideal sequence.
Choose your time window
Key details
- Address
- Plot 5 Kira Road, Kampala, Kampala
- Opening hours
- Normally 9am to 5:30pm daily; currently closed for renovations - confirm before travelling Closed now
- How long to plan
- 1.5 to 2 hours
- Suitable ages
- All ages
- Setting
- Both
- Booking
- Walk-in; book guided tours and school groups in advance
- Payment accepted
- Mobile money or card at the ticket desk
What to expect when you visit
Check in at the ticket desk, then start with the archaeology and palaeontology gallery, where the early hominid fossils and stone tools are displayed. Move on to the ethnography wing, with royal drums and over 200 traditional instruments, and the natural history hall with elephant skeletons and the kob diorama.
Outside, walk the garden for the historic vehicles, traditional huts and heritage trees. The guided tour runs 90 minutes and departs twice a day.
What if...?
The questions every parent asks before booking. Tap to expand.
Is it open?
It is closed for renovations in 2026 - check before travelling.
How long do we need?
About two hours for the galleries and garden.
Can we take photographs?
Yes, without flash in the galleries.
Family essentials
- Suitable age bands
- 0–2 years
- 3–5 years
- 6–9 years
- 10–12 years
- 13+ years
- Safety notes
Keep children behind the barriers, do not touch the specimens, and keep voices low in the galleries.
Tickets and costs
- Parking
- Free
- Free entry rules
- No
- Extra costs (activities, rentals, food)
Guided tours, school programmes, museum cafe, gift shop
Plan your visit
- Combine with
- Ndere Cultural Centre
- Uganda National Mosque
- Baha'i Temple
- What to bring
- Comfortable shoes
- water
- camera (no flash)
Accessibility deep dive
Here is what to expect on the ground.
What to pack
Tick off what you have. Your list saves automatically on this device.
Family day bag checklist
What visitors say
No reviews yet. Be the first to share what your visit was like.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does it cost to visit Uganda Museum?
- Kenya and East African resident adults pay UGX 5,000 and resident children pay UGX 2,000. Non-resident adults pay UGX 5 and non-resident children pay UGX 2. Children under the toddler age enter free. Citizens UGX 5,000 adult and UGX 2,000 child; East African residents UGX 5,000; international visitors USD 5 adult and USD 2 child; school groups free. Photography is allowed without flash.
- What are the Uganda Museum opening hours?
- Normally 9am to 5:30pm daily; currently closed for renovations - confirm before travelling.
- How long do you need at Uganda Museum?
- Plan for 1.5 to 2 hours.
- What payment methods does Uganda Museum accept?
- Uganda Museum accepts Mobile money or card at the ticket desk. It does not accept cash.
Similar places
Museums and history in Langata, Nairobi
Bomas of Kenya
Cultural centre with traditional homesteads and daily dance performances.
- All ages
- Cultural centre, indoor and outdoor
- Yes, but show can be loud
Entry from KES 500
Museums and history in Kitale, Trans Nzoia County
Kitale Museum
Regional museum with ethnographic exhibits and a snake park.
- All ages
- Indoor museum and outdoor snake park
- Yes, carrier useful
Entry from KES 100
Museums and history in Shanzu, Mombasa
Ngomongo Villages
Eco-cultural village with traditional Kenyan homesteads and animals.
- All ages
- Outdoor cultural village
- Yes, but carrier recommended
Entry from KES 850
Museums and history in Nyeri
Baden-Powell Museum (Paxtu)
Small museum in Baden-Powell’s former home, filled with scouting memorabilia.
- All ages; best for 6+
- Indoor museum in historic cottage
- Yes, but short visit
Entry from KES 500
Also in Kampala
Indoor play and trampoline parks in Kampala
Ucha Kids Corner
A children's play area and kids' club at Ucha Heights on Entebbe Road in Najjanankumbi, with a playground and family fa…
- All ages
- Indoor
Amusement and family entertainment in Kampala
Time to Play
A children's play and education centre at Najjera in Wakiso District, with a swimming pool, sandpits, swings, toys and…
- All ages (best for toddlers to primary age)
- Both
Amusement and family entertainment in Kampala
Fun-Ville Kids Park
A children's play park in Kampala with swings, wall climbing, bouncing castles and rope games, recommended by local par…
- All ages (best for toddlers to primary age)
- Outdoor
Water parks and pools in Kampala
Kaazi Beach Resort
A Lake Victoria beach resort at Busabala, 30 minutes from Entebbe Airport, with two pools, a kiddie pool, a playground…
- All ages
- Outdoor
Entry from UGX 20,000