Kandt House Museum

Richard Kandt was the first colonial governor of Rwanda, on behalf of Germany, until the early 1900s. At present, the Kandt House Museum in Kigali comprises three main parts.

The first part presents Rwandan life in all its aspects – social, economic, and political – before the colonial period.

The second part traces the experience of the Rwandan people during the colonial period. Following the Berlin Conference in 1884, the Germans ruled Rwanda until 1916, when the Belgians took over under the League of Nations Mandate after World War I. Richard Kandt’s life and deeds in Rwanda are covered here.

The third part covers the history of Kigali, before, during and after the colonial era. Kigali was made the capital upon independence in 1962.