The Kigali Genocide Memorial is the final resting place for more than 250,000 victims of the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. It honours the memory of more than one million Rwandans killed in 1994 through education & peace-building.
Opened a decade after the genocide, the memorial is a solemn, tear-inducing museum. With giant wall displays, archival documents, photos, video footage and weapons encased in glass, the indoor exhibit sheds light on the Rwandan genocide, as well its pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial roots. The room filled with human skulls and bones is chilling but most heart-wrenching is the children’s memorial. From the details displayed next to their photos, you learn each child’s favourite foods and activities. It’s like viewing a family album , except it abruptly ends with how the youngster’s life was violently snuffed out.
To provide an historical perspective, the indoor exhibit also delves into the sinister ideologies that provoked the world’s largest genocidal massacres from the Namibian genocide to the Holocaust. The Kigali Genocide Memorial is an important reminder that ethnic cleansing of this kind is a global phenomenon.
The Outdoor Exhibit
When you step outside, surrounding the centre are peaceful gardens for quiet reflection, created as if the developers knew visitors would need to recompose themselves after such a core-rattling experience. Covered by giant plates of concrete, mass graves for over 250,000 victims serve as a place for visitors to honour those lost, and for the loved ones of the victims to grieve and remember.
…How the Rwandan genocide could have happened as the international community looked on just over two decades ago is unfathomable but it’s incumbent upon us to at least try to understand. The Kigali Genocide Memorial should be included on everyone’s Rwanda travel itinerary. It may leave you struggling for words, in tears or both. It may infuriate you. It may destroy your faith in humanity.
But one thing is for certain: this place matters. The victims and survivors matter, and they deserve our time and respect.
What You Should Know:
We strongly suggest visiting the memorial at the beginning of your trip to Rwanda. The perspective gained from your visit will provide valuable historical, social and cultural context as you explore the country further.
Entrance is free but do consider offering a 10 USD donation. The centre, managed by the UK-based Aegis Trust (an NGO committed to genocide prevention), relies on monetary gifts to maintain the memorial, educate the world about the dangers of racism and support survivors of the genocide.
Dedicate at least 2-3 hours to complete the tour.
For a more informative experience, an audio guide (headset) is available for 15 USD at the beginning of the tour.
Complete your visit by sipping coffee or, if you don’t lose your appetite after viewing the exhibits, eating lunch at the onsite café.
