About The Damara Living Museum

Immerse yourself in Damara culture

There’s no better place to learn all about Damara culture first-hand than by visiting the Living Museum of the Damara. You won’t get this opportunity anywhere else in the world.

This community run museum is the perfect complement to a trip to see the historic sites at Twyfelfontein and provides interesting insights into one of Namibia’s oldest cultural groups.

Experiences on Offer at the Damara Living Museum

The Damara people practice a peaceful and archaic hunter-gatherer lifestyle mixed with the practice of keeping goats, cattle, and sheep. Their traditional social structures are loose, making them defenceless against aggressive marauders during the colonization of Namibia.

As a result, true Damara people have become rare in Namibia, making up just over 8% of the country’s total population. Although Damara people occupy many areas of Namibia, they’re most at home in the northern reaches of the country.

Like most historic cultures the Damara people have lost some of their traditions along the way, which is what makes this museum so significant. Here, the old ways are preserved for future generations as well as culture buffs interested in exploring the Damara heritage.

What to See at the Damara Living Museum

This museum comprises three main sections. These are a functioning Damara village, an information centre, and a craft market. All these bring in income for the Damara people who own and run the museum.

During a tour of the living museum, you can learn more about the following aspects of Damara daily routine:

• Traditional blacksmithing (weapons and tools)
• Leather tanning
• Traditional clothes making
• Jewellery and crafts
• Dancing and singing
• Traditional games
• Fire making and Holy Fire

Finish your visit by picking up some mementos of your time at the craft village and support these local artisans.

Getting to the Damara Living Museum

The Damara Living Museum is about four and a half hours’ drive from Windhoek, so it’s best to plan an overnight stay if you want to head there from the capital city.

You’ll find plenty of guesthouses, bed and breakfasts, and even a campsite in this area.

Plan the Best Trips to Namibia

Our travel guide has plenty of information to help you plan your Namibian holiday. Browse our blog for more inspiration and check out our other listings and maps to help you get the most out of your trip.

If you’re flying in to Windhoek at the outset of your trip, book your accommodation at Arebbusch Travel Lodge, to get your travels off to a great start.

Disclaimer
Please Note: The details shared herein were correct at the time of publishing. However, with time some of this information may change. We recommend confirming information with suppliers prior to making final travel arrangements. If you do happen to find an issue with any information we’ve shared here, please feel free to contact us so that we can make the relevant changes.