Development & Digitisation

Museum Projects

The Uganda National Museum and our regional sites carry forward a century of heritage work — conservation, digitisation, infrastructure and public engagement — delivered in partnership with national agencies and international funders.

6 Museum Sites
19 Sites & Monuments
100k+ Objects in Trust
1908 Est. Kampala

Active Project · International Cooperation

Project Components

1 Shared digital platform for collections
2 Joint digitisation & cataloguing
3 Conservation & restoration
4 Shared research & training
5 Exhibitions & outreach
8Participating Museums
4Countries
1Shared Platform
AICSFunder
Active Project

Strengthening African–Italian Museum Partnerships

SAIMP

The Strengthening African–Italian Museum Partnerships (SAIMP) Project brings together eight museums across Uganda, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Italy to promote the knowledge, preservation and accessibility of Africa’s cultural heritage.

Led by the Uganda Museum, the project will create a shared digital platform for cataloguing and sharing digital reproductions of museum collections — free of charge — alongside joint research, training, digitisation, conservation and outreach.

Project Goal
To strengthen African–Italian museum partnerships through the creation, management and public accessibility of a shared digital platform for the cataloguing and dissemination of museum objects.
Implementing Agency
University of Turin (Executing Entity) with University of Milan, Museum of Civilizations (Rome) & La Venaria Reale
Funder
Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS)
Project Sites
Kampala, Addis Ababa, Lubumbashi, Turin & Rome
Digitisation International Partnership Research Capacity Building Conservation Cultural Heritage

Infrastructure, Conservation & Digitisation

Featured Active AICS Funded

International Cooperation

Strengthening African–Italian Museum Partnerships (SAIMP)

A partnership of eight museums across Uganda, Ethiopia, the DR Congo and Italy — developing a shared digital platform and joint research, conservation and training to safeguard and share Africa's cultural heritage.

2025–2029 AICS Funded 4 Countries
Details ↓
Project 01 Active CEDP / World Bank

Digitisation

National Museum Digitisation Programme

Cataloguing and high-resolution digitisation of the national collection under the Competitiveness and Enterprise Development Project, making records available online.

2024–Ongoing UGX 3.2B National Scope
Details ↓
Project 02 Completed GoU Budget

Infrastructure

Regional Museum Development

Construction and equipping of regional museums at Soroti, Kabale, Moroto and Fort Portal to extend the national collection beyond Kampala.

2015–2020 UGX 20.89B Regional Sites
Details ↓
Project 03 Active Partners

Conservation

Heritage Site Conservation

Stabilisation and interpretation of Uganda’s archaeological and royal heritage sites, including Kasubi, Nyero rock paintings and the fossil sites of Napak.

2023–Ongoing — National Scope
Details ↓
Project 04 Planned GoU Budget

Outreach

Virtual Rooms & Smart Tourism

360° virtual tours, video rooms and digital education resources opening the collection to audiences who cannot visit in person.

Planned — National Scope
Details ↓

International Cooperation · Active

Strengthening African–Italian Museum Partnerships

AICS FundedProject Cost
2025–2029Duration
ActiveStatus

SAIMP — the Strengthening African–Italian Museum Partnerships Project — is a cooperation project supported by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and implemented by the University of Turin with the University of Milan, the Museum of Civilizations in Rome and the La Venaria Reale Conservation and Restoration Centre.

Eight participating museums — in Uganda, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Italy — will jointly develop a shared digital platform for the cataloguing and dissemination of digital reproductions of their collections, freely accessible to the public. The Uganda Museum serves on the SAIMP Steering Committee, represented by Mrs. Nyiracyiza Jaqueline Besigye, Commissioner of Museums Services.

The project is built on cooperation, reciprocity and mutual respect in the conservation, management and interpretation of cultural heritage, in line with the Charter for African Cultural Renaissance and the UNESCO conventions on cultural diversity and intangible heritage.

A Shared Digital Platform

A centralised, multi-tenant platform in which each participating museum retains full ownership and control of its digital collections, metadata and access decisions — with free public access.

Uganda Ethiopia DR Congo Italy

Expected Outcomes

A shared digital platform for museum collections, free of charge
Digitised collections catalogued and accessible online
Joint research, conservation and restoration activities
Staff training and capacity building across all museums
Exhibitions and outreach strengthening cultural dialogue

Key Achievements

Scientific Cooperation Agreement signed 4 August 2025 (University of Turin & Uganda Museum)
Uganda Museum seat on the SAIMP Steering Committee
Scientific Advisory Board established with Ugandan experts
Memorandum of Understanding revised and advanced towards signature

Digitisation · Active

National Museum Digitisation Programme

UGX 3.2BProject Cost
2024–OngoingDuration
ActiveStatus

Uganda’s museums hold over 100,000 objects of national significance — yet only a fraction are catalogued digitally. The National Museum Digitisation Programme applies high-resolution imaging and modern database systems to change this.

Under the Competitiveness and Enterprise Development Project (CEDP), funded by the World Bank, the Department is equipping a dedicated digitisation studio, training staff, and publishing approved records to the national collection platform.

Digitisation Studio

A conservation-grade studio for artefact photography, cataloguing and database management, serving all six museum sites.

High-Resolution Imaging Database Systems Conservation Storage Public Portal

Expected Outcomes

All public records catalogued digitally
Approved records published online
Staff trained in digitisation practice

Key Achievements

Digitisation studio established and equipped
Regional roll-out to Kabale, Soroti, Moroto and Fort Portal
CEDP software platform integrated (dums.ugandamuseums.or.ug)

Infrastructure · Completed

Development of Museums and Heritage Sites

UGX 20.89BProject Cost
2015–2020Duration
CompletedStatus

For decades Uganda’s museums were concentrated in Kampala. The Development of Museums and Heritage Sites for Cultural Promotion project extended the national collection to the regions.

The project renovated the Uganda National Museum, constructed regional museums, and developed cultural heritage sites to international standards — increasing the contribution of cultural heritage to tourism earnings.

Regional Network

Four regional museums now serve their communities, each with a distinct focus reflecting the heritage of its region.

Soroti Kabale Moroto Fort Portal

Expected Outcomes

National Museum renovated with new galleries and laboratory
Three regional museums constructed and equipped
15 cultural heritage sites developed for tourism

Key Achievements

Soroti museum construction completed, fenced and landscaped
Land titles secured for regional sites
Transport Gallery constructed at the National Museum

Conservation · Active

Heritage Site Conservation Programme

—Project Cost
2023–OngoingDuration
ActiveStatus

Uganda is home to over 640 registered archaeological, palaeontological and historical sites, yet only a small number are developed. The Heritage Site Conservation Programme stabilises and interprets our most significant sites.

Priority work includes the royal tombs at Kasubi and Mparo, the rock paintings at Nyero, and the fossil sites of Napak — combining conservation with community benefits and interpretation.

Sites in Trust

Royal tombs, rock art and fossil sites cared for in partnership with communities and custodians.

Kasubi Tombs Nyero Rock Art Napak Fossils Mparo Tombs

Expected Outcomes

Stabilised and interpreted heritage sites
Community-led conservation partnerships
Increased cultural tourism to heritage sites

Key Achievements

Site assessments completed across priority heritage sites
Community conservation agreements signed
Interpretation panels installed at key sites

Outreach · Planned

Virtual Rooms & Smart Tourism

—Project Cost
PlannedDuration
PlannedStatus

Digital access is the future of museums. The Virtual Rooms and Smart Tourism project will bring the collection to audiences anywhere through 360° tours, video rooms and interactive education resources.

Building on the existing virtual rooms capability, the project will grow a library of accessible digital experiences across all six museum sites.

Visit Anywhere

360° tours, video rooms and digital education resources that open the museum to the world.

360° Tours Video Rooms Education Accessible

Expected Outcomes

Minimum six virtual rooms live at launch
Accessible digital education resources
Virtual access to every museum site

Key Achievements

Virtual rooms platform operational
Room token and payment flow built
Regional virtual tours in planning
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