Supa Ngwao Museum: Showcasing Francistown's Heritage

Supa Ngwao Museum, meaning “to show culture” in Setswana, is located in Francistown, Botswana, and serves as the regional museum for the city and the surrounding North East region. Established in 1986 as a mobile museum, it found a permanent home in a century-old Government Camp building and officially opened to the public in 1992. The museum aims to preserve historical information about Francistown and its surrounding villages, as well as the heritage of the Kalanga people and other groups in northern Botswana. The museum occupies three sections within the historic Government Camp building, which includes former police facilities like an old prison and canteen, adding historical depth to the exhibition space. Inside, visitors can explore a diverse collection of artifacts, photographs, and documents that highlight the local way of life from pre-colonial times to the present day. Exhibits include traditional Kalanga textiles, historical photographs chronicling Francistown's evolution from a mining hub, farming tools, woven baskets, and musical instruments. The Haskins Archives, a dedicated section, preserves documents and records pivotal to understanding the city's past. The museum also supports local artisans by featuring a craft shop where visitors can purchase unique, locally made goods such as leather key-holders, woodcarvings, traditional jewelry (dibaga), and palm-woven baskets (ditlatlana). Guided walking tours of Francistown are available, providing a deeper understanding of the city's history and significant sites like the Old Jail House, the Hexagonal Building, and the Miners' Cottage at Nyangabgwe Hill.