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Ethnological Museum
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Museum
Ethnological Museum
Museum of Ethiopian cultures in the former palace of Haile Selassie at Sidist Kilo
- Hours
- Daily 8:30 to 17:30
- Area
- Sidist Kilo
The Ethnological Museum is in the former palace of Haile Selassie on the main campus of Addis Ababa University. It holds about 13,000 objects.
Good for
- Visitors
- Groups
- In the former palace of Emperor Haile Selassie
- About 13,000 objects
- Bedroom of the emperor is on show
- Open daily from 8:30 to 17:30
- Run by the Institute of Ethiopian Studies
Facilities
- Parking
- Wheelchair access
The Ethnological Museum is on the main campus of Addis Ababa University at Sidist Kilo. The building is the former palace of Emperor Haile Selassie. The Institute of Ethiopian Studies runs the museum.
What to see
The museum holds about 13,000 objects. The collections cover anthropology, music, art, stamps and coins. Displays show the crafts, clothes and daily life of the peoples of Ethiopia. One room shows religious icons.
You can also see the rooms of the emperor. His bedroom and bed are kept as they were. Ceremonial robes and a palace library are on show.
Opening hours
The museum is open daily from 8:30 to 17:30.
Getting there
Enter through the main gate of the university at Sidist Kilo. The museum is at the end of the drive, behind the garden with the fountain. The Yekatit 12 Monument and the Lion Zoo are outside the gate.
Good to know
Allow one hour. The museum has a car park. The entrance and the toilets have wheelchair access. Call +251 11 123 1068 before a group visit.
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Frequently asked questions
Where is the Ethnological Museum?
The museum is on the main campus of Addis Ababa University at Sidist Kilo, in the former palace of Haile Selassie.
When is the Ethnological Museum open?
The museum is open daily from 8:30 to 17:30.
What is in the Ethnological Museum?
The museum shows crafts, clothes, musical objects, icons, stamps and coins. The bedroom of Emperor Haile Selassie is also on show.
Sources
- Ethnological Museum, Addis Ababa, Wikipedia
- Ethnological Museum, Google Maps listing
- Photo: Addis abeba, museo etnografico, nel palazzo di haile selassie 03.jpg by Sailko, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Photo: Addis abeba, museo etnografico, interno 03.jpg by Sailko, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Photo: Addis abeba, museo etnografico, interno 02.jpg by Sailko, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Photo: Addis abeba, museo etnografico, nel palazzo di haile selassie, interno 01.jpg by Sailko, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Photo: 16th-Century Icon of Christ - Institute of Ethiopian Studies (Ethnographic Museum) - Addis Ababa University - Addis Ababa - Ethiopia - 02 (8667495457).jpg by Adam Jones from Kelowna, BC, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Photo: Interior of Institute of Ethiopian Studies (Ethnographic Museum - Former Imperial Palace) - Addis Ababa University - Addis Ababa - Ethiopia (8667491659).jpg by Adam Jones from Kelowna, BC, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Photo: Addis abeba, museo etnografico, nel palazzo di haile selassie 04 cancello.jpg by Sailko, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Profile last reviewed November 12, 2026.
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