Inclusive Access

Accessibility

The Uganda National Museum is committed to making our physical spaces, digital platforms and educational programmes accessible to all visitors, regardless of ability.

Last updated: 20 April 2026

Our Commitment

The Department of Museums and Monuments, under the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, believes that Uganda’s cultural and natural heritage belongs to all Ugandans and all visitors. We are working to ensure that every person — including those with physical, sensory, cognitive or learning disabilities — can access, enjoy and learn from our museums, heritage sites, exhibitions and digital services.

This commitment is grounded in the Museums and Monuments Act, 2023, which mandates public access to heritage resources, and the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2020, which requires all public institutions to provide reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities.

Physical Accessibility

Uganda National Museum, Kampala

Mobility

  • Ramp access at the main entrance
  • Ground-floor galleries are wheelchair accessible
  • Accessible washroom facilities
  • Paved pathways through the museum grounds
  • Seating available throughout galleries

Visual

  • Tactile handling sessions available by appointment
  • Large-print gallery guides available at reception
  • High-contrast signage in main galleries
  • Companion/guide admitted free of charge

Hearing

  • Uganda Sign Language interpretation available for pre-booked group tours
  • Written gallery labels and printed tour guides
  • Visual alert systems in public areas

General

  • Free admission for persons with disabilities and one companion
  • Quiet hours: first Saturday of each month, 9:00–11:00 AM
  • Service animals welcome in all galleries
  • Staff trained in disability awareness

Regional Museums & Heritage Sites

Accessibility at our regional museums in Kabale, Soroti and Moroto varies by location. We are progressively improving access across all sites as part of the MTWA Strategic Plan 2025/26–2029/30. If you are planning a visit to a regional museum or heritage site, please contact us in advance so we can make appropriate arrangements.

Planning a visit?

Contact our visitor services team at least 48 hours before your visit to discuss specific accessibility needs. We will do our best to accommodate your requirements.

Phone: +256 200 999 880
Email: ugandamuseums@tourism.go.ug

Digital Accessibility

We aim to make museums.tourism.go.ug accessible to the widest possible audience, including people who use assistive technologies. Our target standard is WCAG 2.1 Level AA conformance.

What we have implemented

  • Semantic HTML5 structure with proper heading hierarchy
  • ARIA landmarks and labels on all interactive elements
  • Keyboard navigation support across all pages
  • Colour contrast ratios meeting WCAG AA requirements (minimum 4.5:1 for body text)
  • Alternative text on all meaningful images
  • Skip-to-content link for keyboard and screen reader users
  • Responsive design that works across all device sizes
  • prefers-reduced-motion support to disable animations for users who need it
  • Form labels, error messages and validation accessible to screen readers
  • No content that relies solely on colour to convey information

Virtual rooms

Our 360° virtual room experiences use third-party iframe viewers. While we provide alternative text descriptions and downloadable gallery guides for each room, the embedded 360° viewers may have their own accessibility limitations. We are working with our technology partners to improve keyboard navigation and screen reader compatibility within the virtual tour experience.

Assistive Services

Sign Language Tours

Uganda Sign Language interpreted tours are available for groups of 5 or more. Please book at least one week in advance through our visitor services team.

Tactile Handling Sessions

Selected artefacts from our education collection are available for touch-based exploration. Sessions are led by a museum educator and must be pre-booked.

Large-Print & Easy-Read Guides

Printed gallery guides in large print (18pt) and easy-read formats are available free of charge at the reception desk.

Downloadable Resources

Pre-visit guides, gallery maps and educational materials are available for download from our Education page in accessible PDF format.

Known Limitations

We acknowledge the following accessibility gaps and are working to address them:

  • Upper-floor galleries at the Uganda National Museum are not currently wheelchair accessible. A lift installation is planned as part of the museum renovation programme.
  • Heritage site terrain at locations such as Bigo bya Mugenyi, Nyero and Patiko Fort is uneven and may be challenging for visitors with mobility impairments. We provide virtual room alternatives for these sites.
  • Audio descriptions are not yet available for all virtual rooms. We are adding these progressively.
  • Some older PDF documents in our Publications library may not be fully screen-reader compatible. We are converting these to accessible formats.

Feedback & Contact

We welcome feedback on the accessibility of our museums, heritage sites and digital services. If you encounter a barrier or have a suggestion for improvement, please let us know.

Accessibility Contact

Department of Museums and Monuments
Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities
Plot 5, Kira Road, Kampala
P.O. Box 5718

Phone: +256 200 999 880
Email: ugandamuseums@tourism.go.ug

We aim to respond to accessibility feedback within 5 business days.