Visit the National Museum of Congo – Explore Rwanda Tours
Visit the National Museum of Congo: During your Congo Safaris Tours, a visit to the National Museum of the Democratic Republic of Congo will give you an opportunity to learn more about the history of DR Congo, as well as its cultural and national heritage. You can always combine a tour to this remarkable site with a gorilla trekking safari in Virunga National Park or Kahuzi-Bieg a National Park.
The magnificent dome-shaped structure made of white marble has a tiny collection of photographs and papers that shed light on the life of this educated man and the creator of Congo. Don’t miss out on a stroll around the beautiful grounds, which are capped by a monument of Savorgnan. Put la Musée National de la République Democratique du Congo (National Museum of the Democratic Republic of Congo) on your itinerary and find out what else is worth seeing by booking a Congo safari with us at Explore Rwanda Tours.
Brief Background on the National Museum of Congo.
The National Museum of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, also known as La Musée national de la République démocratique du Congo in French, or MNRDC, is a museum in Kinshasa dedicated to the cultural heritage of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s many ethnic groups and historical epochs. In June 2019, representatives from the Republic of Korea formally turned it over to the Congolese government.
The Korean Agency for Cooperation sponsored the construction cost of US-$21 million (KOICA). The building was built over a 33-month period in collaboration between experts from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Korea under modern conditions (locally available construction materials, use of solar energy, natural air circulation with only partial use of air conditioning, etc.) and represents South Korea’s largest cultural policy investment in Central Africa to date.
12,000 pieces can be shown in their cultural setting in three 6,000 m2 public exhibition spaces. The bulk of the National Institute of Museums’ (Institut des Musées Nationaux du Congo’s) collections, on the other hand, must be housed in depots. Unlike in the past, when Belgian scientists from the Africa Museum in Brussels supplied the director and scientific cooperation for decades, Congolese professionals are currently being taught in South Korea.
As a result, Congolese cultural politicians have broadened their worldwide engagement.
The museum was inaugurated by the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Félix Tshisekedi, on November 23, 2019. In response to calls from European museums for the repatriation of African cultural material, Tshisekedi stated, “We encourage the return of the scattered cultural legacy, particularly in Belgium.” The concept is there, but it must be implemented gradually. Of course, it is a Congolese legacy, and one day it will be essential to return it, but it must be done in a systematic manner.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo National Museum was established to conserve national history and promote its ideals.
It is a facility that unites the past, present, and future by offering a symbolic structure with cultural and educational goals in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where historical and cultural material is severely deficient.
The NMDRC is anticipated to become not just a center of education, but also a global hub for the collecting, preservation, recovery, and investigation of very valuable relics.
Beyond a modest structure, it will evolve into a modern museum that reveals its identity as a national monument, giving spiritual integration and a vision of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Other Places to visit in Congo.
Kahuzi Biega National Park
This beautiful national park, named after the 3,000-metre-high Mt. Kahuzi and the 2,700-metre-high Mt. Biega, is located in South Kivu Province and runs from the Congo River valley to Bukavu. Kahuzi and Biega are extinct volcanoes that today provide some fantastic trekking opportunities. It was established in 1970 to safeguard the Eastern Lowland Gorillas and was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site ten years later. Eastern Lowland gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Biega national park is the major tourist activity carried out in the national park.
Poaching of gorillas has been a concern for decades, but due to the park authorities, a focused education program is still underway. The gorillas are still endangered today, but their quality of life has improved and their situations are improving year after year. The park has a tremendous biological richness, including indigenous vegetation, elephants, chimpanzees, genet, antelope, and serval.
Virunga National Park
Virunga National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located on the borders of Rwanda and Uganda. It is not just the country’s oldest national park, but also its most biologically varied. In the Rwenzori Mountains, you’ll discover lava plains, savanna, forests, valleys, active volcanoes, wetlands, and even glacier peaks. The park is home to around 25% of the world’s endangered mountain gorillas, and it is the only park where three of the four great apes can be found in one location.
Gorilla trekking in Virunga national park is ideal for any tourist on a gorilla safari in Congo. A gorilla trekking permit in Congo costs $400 per person during the peak seasons and $200 during the low season. The park is also home to the Okapi, an endangered animal that appears like a mix between a giraffe and a zebra. Hippos, lions, elephants, and a variety of rare and uncommon birds may be seen. The park is divided into three main parts, all of which are worth seeing: the Rwenzori Mountains, the Lake Edward area, and the Mikeno volcanic area.
Mountain Nyiragongo
Nyiragongo dominates the skyline of Goma in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This incredible 3,000+ meter volcano last erupted on May 22, 2021, damaging up to 15% of the surrounding area and displacing over 500,000 people. Nyiragongo has erupted 34 times in the last 130 years and is positioned at the point where the African tectonic plate is fracturing. The terrain near Goma is remarkable, with black hardened lava stretching so far that it resembles an aboveground coal mine. Inside the crater, there is an active lava lake that may be viewed on occasion. The region has recovered well from the previous blast, and there are many new stores and marketplaces to explore.
Other interesting places that visitors can always explore during a gorilla trekking safari in Congo include; tour of Goma and Kinshasha cities, wildlife viewing in Garamba National Park, Okapi Wildlife Reserve, Salonga National Park, explore Tchegera Island, and visit the beautiful Zongo falls among others.
Contact Explore Rwanda Tours for more exciting offers on Congo Safaris Tours in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
