Get to know Tsumeb through its museums, mining history and cultural sites. When planning your trip, you can decide whether to focus on the city itself, with its collections and Cultural Village, or consider Tsumeb as part of the broader destination of Oshikoto.
Museums, Minerals and City History
The Tsumeb Museum was founded by Mrs. Ilse Schatz and opened on 5 April 1975 under the auspices of the Namibian Scientific Society. It is housed in the former German Private School building. Built in 1915, the building was declared a national monument. Photographs and exhibits showcase the lives and cultures of the Ovambo, Herero, Himba, Kavango and San.
The city’s mining history is also among the topics covered at the Tsumeb Museum. This includes the artillery that the German Schutztruppe threw into Lake Otjikoto during the First World War so that Allied forces could not use it against the German colonial troops. Tsumeb has been known for its mineral deposits for more than a century. The Tsumeb Mineralogic & Mining Museum displays minerals, mining equipment and artefacts. The city’s history and the collections on minerals and mining thus offer distinct but thematically related ways to explore the subject.
Cultural Insights at the Cultural Village
The Helvi Mpingana Kondombolo Cultural Village is an open-air museum with traditional huts, homesteads of Namibian ethnic communities, an information centre and an arts and crafts exhibition. Visitors can join a guided tour to learn more about local traditional beliefs and cultural practices. Seasonal cultural performances round out the offering. If these performances are important to your plans, take their seasonal schedule into account and check the dates before your visit.
Lake Otjikoto in the Surrounding Area
Lake Otjikoto, a water-filled sinkhole about 100 metres deep, is located in the area around Tsumeb. It is a National Heritage Site and is associated with artefacts from the First World War. The lake’s regional history also includes two names passed down over time: the San knew it as Gaisis, meaning “ugly”; the Herero called it Otjikoto, which means “deep hole” in Otjiherero. The lake therefore offers another historical point of reference in the Oshikoto context, without being confused with the museums in Tsumeb.
Tsumeb and the Broader Destination of Oshikoto
The broader destination of Oshikoto includes opportunities for wildlife viewing in Etosha National Park. The species listed include elephants, rhinos, springboks, lions, impalas, leopards, kudus, zebras and giraffes; which species you may see can vary. These regional opportunities complement the cultural and historical themes described for Tsumeb itself.
The park entrances are also useful for navigating the region: Von Lindequist Gate is an entrance to Etosha National Park in Oshikoto and is connected to the B1; Tsumeb is the nearest town. King Nehale lya Mpingana Gate is another entrance to the park. It can be reached from Omuthiya Town or via Main Road and is 17 kilometres from the B1.
Explore More Destinations
Explore more destinations: Ondangwa, Omuthiya, Halali, Okaukuejo, Fort Namutoni.
Go to the broader travel overview: Oshikoto.
