Central Region, Gweru
Central Region, Tab
Zimbabwe Military Museum
The Zimbabwe Military Museum, located in the former ramshackle gold mining village, Gweru, is the only museum of its nature in Zimbabwe. The Museum focuses on the research and other museological endeavours in the military field, thereby liaising with the army, air force and police. The Museum opened its doors to the public on the 24th o f January 1974 as the Midlands Museum, which was changed to the current name in 1985.
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| Military Museum | ||
Militaria Department
The department of Militaria carries out research in the Army, Air Force and Police Collections and exhibitions. There are three main galleries depicting collections under Militaria and these are the Army Gallery, the Air Force Gallery and the Police Gallery.
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| Armoured aircraft exhibition |
The museum houses different galleries with exhibitions focusing on the military field, air force and police. The army gallery illustrates the development of military equipment from about the 16th century through the colonial period to the liberation war. The foyer area of the museum also provides display space for temporary exhibitions. These are subject to change every three months on a quarterly basis.
The Army Gallery
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| Military & armoured vehicles | |
The Army Gallery depicts the history of the first and Second Chimurenga to the end of the Second Chimurenga/Liberation War in 1980 and the formation of the present Zimbabwe National Army.
Outside the gallery are the Stuart tank and the Russian tank to complement the support that ZANU PF Party received from the Eastern Block against the enemy.
The Police Gallery
The gallery exhibits the history of the Police starting from the inception of the British South African Police [BSAP] through to the present Zimbabwe Republic Police [ZRP].
The Guinea Fowl Memorial Gallery
The gallery exhibits memorabilia of the place known as Guinea Fowl and its tradition of education and training spanning the period 1940 – 1978 when it was used in turn as an Air Force Training School, a Mining Training Centre and finally a formal education institution.
The Aviation Gallery
This gallery depicts the history of both Civil and Military Aviation in this country. The gallery clearly outlines the determination of the Early settlers in establishing aviation in this country, the formation of the various squadrons and eventually the establishment of Thornhill Airbase in the City of Gweru leading to the establishment of an Air Force Museum Cum Zimbabwe Military Museum.
The Aviation Museum
About half a kilometer south of the Military Museum is the Trim Park Aviation Museum built on the 3,4 hectares of land donated to the Museum by the City of Gweru. The Aviation Museum is slowly taking shape after the construction of the Double Hangar, which now exhibits various Aircraft, donated to the Museum by both the Air Force of Zimbabwe and Air Zimbabwe.
Dhlodhlo/Danan’mombe National Monument.
Dhlodhlo was declared a National Monument Number 5 in July 1937. It lies approximately 86km Southwest of Gweru and 92km northeast of Bulawayo.
The monument is accessible through an all season gravel road which branches off the Gweru and at Insiza from Bulawayo. Danan’ombe was the capital of the Rozvi state from about 1693 to the early 1800’s.
It became the capital of the Rozvi after Changamire defeated the Torwa dynasty at Khami near Bulawayo. Archaeology there is no clear distinction between the occupational layers of the Torwa and the Rozvi although traditions and documentary evidence suggests that Danan’mombe was occupied bi different groups of the people at different times.
It is likely that when Rozvi took control of the State, the Torwa people were absorbed and continued their way of life. At its peak, Dana’ombe must have accommodated between 6 000 and 10 000 people.
Major attractions at Danan’mombe/Dhlodhlo National Monument:
• Site Museum with outstanding artefacts from Danan’mombe and related sites
• Khami type stone walling and terracing
• Exposed house structures and grain bins
• Geological formations
• Peaceful and scenic environment
Dhlodhlo Site Museum
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