Hargeisa Provincial Museum

Hargeisa Provincial Museum is a museum in Hargeisa, Somalia. The Hargeisa Provincial Museum is a must-see for anybody interested in the ethnographic and cultural history and evolution of the Somali people, particularly those residing in Somaliland. Since 1977, the cultural monument in Somalia has displayed objects illustrating Somali culture, many of which have come directly from Hargeisa inhabitants' houses. The museum used to be part of a bigger cultural complex that included a library and a theater.

When the museum first opened in 1977, it featured an ethnographic exhibition, the majority of which had been donated by Hargeisa residents. The pieces were displayed in two 20-meter-long glass-free cabinets, one in each of the two halls. Because there were only two caretakers, a gardener and a cleaning woman, the collection and the structure quickly deteriorated. In 1981, work on the renovations began. The two huge displays were demolished, and 23 smaller glass-fronted cabinets were constructed in their place. The windows were screened, the structure was renovated, and the collection was cleaned. There were once roughly 4,000 objects on exhibit. The new display, however, was limited to roughly 1.400 objects, with the remainder being put in storage.

Location: Arwada Road, Hargeisa, Somaliland