16 Oct 2025

Nhabe Museum has become a centre of attraction and has cultivated interest in cultural tourism due to the iconic basket monument placed at its entrance.

The historic artwork has transformed the museum as it is now experiencing an influx of visitors who enjoy interacting with the artwork through photo shooting.

Nhabe Museum board chairperson, Tshematshe Monwela confirmed in an interview that the basket structure had brought the community-based museum to life by creating unique visitor experience that drew tourists and locals alike.

Monwela appreciated that the structure had not only given the museum a facelift, but has also significantly boosted income generation from the P15,000 per annum that they used to make.

The museum generates revenue through crafts sales, stall rentals to producers and visual artists, auditorium hire and entrance fees, he said. He said the structure was a hit with both international and local travellers who loved it for the fact that it promoted and preserved the region’s culture and traditions.

“This artwork has created a lively atmosphere. It has attracted a lot of attention not only of visitors but of some companies as many are now willing to invest in the museum to enhance its attractiveness as well as make Maun a destination of choice,” he added.

Monwela revealed that some companies had shown interest to develop the museum into a state-of-the-art facility to enhance its relevance and cultural impact in Maun.

He is of the view that museums needed to find new ways to keep visitors captivated and to stay relevant and appreciated that some companies viewed the facility as an important asset with the potential to enhance the area’s tourism offering.

He also pointed out that the board had worked hard to take the museum to the community and to ensure that all tribes in the region contribute material content to help it to deliver on its mandate to promote and preserve heritage, history and cultural diversity.

The museum curator, Tumelo Thuthuka, reiterated Moswela’s view that the basket structure has brought vibrancy to the museum, luring scores of visitors.

The art he said, offered a unique, high value experience across all age groups, citing that the traffic had propelled them to design a package of fees for locals, international visitors, and for clientele from within the SADC region.

He said they recently hosted learners from Francistown and a lot of international travellers who appreciated the artwork, saying it provided them with a deeper understanding of the diverse cultural milestones in the region.

“This artwork has indeed improved our overall operation. We started around May to charge entrance fees and have since been generating P15,000 a month,” Thuthuka added, confirming the leap in income generation that Monwela had mentioned.

“We have also done a lot of improvements by offering exciting exhibits and displays to ensure customers receive value for their money,” he elaborated.

Thuthuka further noted that efforts were ongoing to forge partnerships to host unique events throughout the year that could attract visitors, explaining that they intended to create special exhibits with activities that were not just artistic but also educational.

He said currently, they were in talks with Debswana Letlhakane mine to display the diamond story exhibition. The manager also highlighted that they intended to partner with Nkashi Trust, which advanced research to tell the stories of the local people and also support education and the harnessing of economic opportunities in the heart of the Okavango Delta.

The breath-taking artwork was funded by Chobe Holdings company to the tune of P500 000 last year as part of its commitment to supporting the community. ENDS