Arusha Declaration Museum Visit

The Arusha Declaration Museum stands in the Kaloleni area of Arusha, close to the Uhuru Torch monument. The building was once the social welfare hall for the Kaloleni community. In January 1967 it hosted the historic meeting that produced Tanzania's political and economic policy of socialism and self-reliance, and in February 1977 it became a small political museum.

The permanent exhibition covers pre-colonial and colonial history, the struggle for independence, the shaping of the policy of self-reliance and Tanzania's development after the Arusha Declaration. It focuses on 20th-century Tanzania, with interesting displays on the colonial period, a particular emphasis on the post-independence Nyerere era and a few good ethnographic displays. Here you will find documents setting out the manifesto of the socialist ideology of Ujamaa, dated 5 February 1967.

The museum helps visitors understand Tanzania's political economy and how past social and economic development shaped the country today. It is a valuable teaching resource for history, civics, general studies and political science. Its exhibitions and education programmes raise awareness of past social and economic challenges as the foundation for a peaceful society in a changing economic and democratic environment. The museum also offers seminar and workshop halls, exhibition grounds, heritage management consultancy, research partnerships and guided tours.