Museum is place to visit for NRZ history

To learn about the history of the railways in Zimbabwe and Southern Africa, the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) Museum is the place to visit.

Established in 1972, to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the first train in Bulawayo on 4 November 1897, the museum is located within a walking distance from the Central Business District (CBD) of country’s second city.

It offers a wealth of information to both railway enthusiasts and the general public.

Visitors to the museum will be mesmerised by the great collection of memorabilia available for them to explore.

With an impressive collection of steam locomotives from the turn of the 20th century, the museum gives a glimpse of how the railways developed over the years.

The steam locomotives are complemented by diesel locomotives and recovery equipment.

Also on display at the museum is the Jack Tar, a steam locomotive with an interesting history.

The locomotive was used in the construction of the Victoria Falls Bridge and was the first to cross the bridge when it opened in 1905.

The Museum also houses a coach used by colonialist Cecil John Rhodes. The coach carried his remains from South Africa to Bulawayo for burial in the Matopo Hills.

The coach, still in its pristine condition, has been preserved to almost its original state from the time Cecil John Rhodes used it.

Apart from the exhibits, the museum offers a venue to people wanting to host events that are far from the ordinary.

The Museum can be hired for birthday parties, weddings and corporate events.

The museum opens every day of the week from 0900 Hours to 1600 Hours.