Julius Nyerere, the first President of Tanzania, was born in the otherwise insignificant little town of Butiama. This small museum inside the family compound celebrates his life and work. It contains a few stools, shields and other gifts he was given. Boxes of Nyerere’s personal effects, including his diaries, a handwritten Swahili translation of part of Plato’s Republic and collections of his poetry are also there. Although these are not on display, you can ask the staff to see them.
In the family compound next to the museum you can see his two homes (admission Tsh1000; 8am to 6pm), still occupied by his wife and son; his father’s house; and the graves of Nyerere and his parents. His mother’s house, where he was born, along with the houses of his father’s 21 other wives no longer exist.
The museum itself is only really worth a visit for dedicated Nyerere fans but the journey to the town and the interest your presence will generate is fun.
There are frequent dalla-dallas (pick-up trucks or minibuses) to Butiama (Tsh3000, one hour) from Musoma.
