National Museum of Namibia

Alte Feste in Robert Mugabe Avenue, 2006

The National Museum is accommodated at three different places in central Windhoek. The Owela Display Centre (after the Owela board game) houses the zoological and general scientific collection. It is located in Lüderitz Street, sharing a building with the Windhoek Public Library.[1] As of 2023 the 1958 building is dilapidated, and the Owela museum is closed.[2]

The Alte Feste Museum houses the historic collection. It is accommodated at the Alte Feste (English: Old Fortress) building in Robert Mugabe Avenue, next to the Independence Memorial Museum. Administration of the National Museum and the National Museum Library, established in 1963, are situated also on Robert Mugabe Avenue, opposite the Alte Feste.[3] As of 2023 Alte Feste is closed and in urgent need of renovation.[2] It is planned to repurpose the building into a centre of arts, craft, and heritage.[4]

A museum was established by the Imperial German administration of German South West Africa in 1907. It was called the Landesmuseum (English: state museum). In 1925, with the territory now under South African administration, the museum was renamed the South West Africa museum. Responsibility of the museum was transferred to the South African government of South West Africa in 1957, and the name changed to State museum. After Namibian independence in 1990 it was administered by the Government of Namibia, and in 1994 the name was changed to National Museum of Namibia.[3]