Nakambale Museum

Martti Rautanen, a Finnish missionary the local people called Nakambale after the hat he wore, built this house at Olukonda in 1870, and it is the oldest surviving building in northern Namibia. It is now a museum covering Aawambo material culture, the mission period and Rautanen's work translating the Bible into Oshindonga. A church of 1889 stands alongside, and a reconstructed traditional homestead in the grounds is used for accommodation, so visitors can stay in a compound built the way the region built them rather than in a guesthouse. Rautanen spent almost his whole working life at Olukonda and is buried in the churchyard here.

The main sights

• The mission house - an 1870 building, the oldest in northern Namibia.
• The church - the 1889 mission church beside the house.
• The Aawambo collection - tools, baskets and household objects in the museum.
• The traditional homestead - a reconstructed compound in the grounds.

When to go

March to October is the cooler window. The museum keeps weekday hours with a midday break. The rains from December to March bring heat and humidity.

Things to know

The museum is small and takes an hour. Opening hours are limited and weekend access is uncertain. The displays are dated and labelling is thin.

Nearby

Ondangwa is northwest, and Etosha is south.

Key facts