Curating Biocultural Heritage: Perspectives from the Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe

The presentation investigates the making of cultural institutions through the lenses of history, archaeology and museology, focusing on the case study of the Natural History Museum in Bulawayo. It traces the museum’s development from its colonial and federation-era foundations to post-independence Zimbabwe, examining how both local and transnational influences contextualise the archaeological and historical narratives displayed in its permanent galleries. Drawing on the concept of biocultural heritage, the discussion highlights the interconnectedness of material, cultural, and ecological histories. By mapping these entanglements, the presentation considers how museum collections function as dynamic nodes within networks of memory and representation, mediating relationships between the past, present, and future.