YIMTUBEZINA MUSEUM & CULTURAL CENTER

This new museum, located in the heart of the new Parc de l'Amitié, completes a rapidly changing cultural offering in this aristocratic district of the city. This small private museum is housed in the former home of Mrs. Yimtubezinash Habte, built in 1892 by Indian builders who blended their architecture with Ethiopian style. It is a historical symbol, as it is contemporary with the creation of Addis Ababa, and Mrs. Habte was a turn-of-the-century businesswoman and sister of Fitawrari Shemeles Habte, the Harar administrator at the time who fought against Italy during the first invasion of Meychew. She herself was a resistance fighter imprisoned by the Italian military until 1933, a true female figure in the building of the Ethiopian nation. The house remained in the family for five generations, until she decided to bequeath it to create a museum that aims to be patriotic and unifying, in an Ethiopia that needs symbols of unity today. The permanent exhibition features period photos and a focus on the Battle of Adwa, where the Ethiopians won the decisive battle over the Italians that made this nation the only country ever colonized in Africa. Photos of Addis Ababa in its infancy are also on display. The museum also conducts research into Ethiopian heritage and organizes conferences on the subject. Temporary exhibitions are also scheduled.