Cultural Heritage Centre
Cultural Heritage Centre
4
About
The Cultural Heritage Centre established in the year 1994. Is the first of its kind in Africa dedicated towards exploring the rich treasures derived from African Culture. This family business is the result of culmination of hard work, unwavering dedication and knowledge acquired from the forefathers. At the helm of the affairs is the versatile managing director, Mr. Saifuddin Khanbhai, who has a solid knowledge of African Culture and traditions. Culture Heritage Center has acquired iconic status due to the unique structure of the buildings within its compound and having the treasure chest of African art which is keeping African Art alive. The main building is designed to resemble the Uhuru Peak of Kilimanjaro. It also has an impressive array of arts and crafts including unique masks, Verdite carvings and paintings by famous African sculptures. Cultural Heritage now boasts an impressible Art Gallery was build on his vision which was to promote the work of the local artists. The exterior of the Gallery is imp rived by a drum, shield and spear, all major African symbols. The symbols resonate with the role of the Gallery that is to represent, communicate and celebrate Africa's Cultural Heritage. Among its many world famous pieces of Art is a 18 feet family tree which took 20 years to make. People from all over the world also visit Cultural Heritage, for its unrivaled reputation of having the finest Tanzanite stones which are also found in the Mererani hills of Tanzania, best in the world. The interior has three areas (i) History, (ii) Wildlife and (iii) soul. Ethnographic artifacts fill the History area, the wildlife area consists of contemporary paintings and sculptures of the curvatures roaming the African Savanna and the soul area captures Africa's energy allure and essence. The art gallery also has an amphitheatre which often shows on the life of special Tanzanian tribes like the Maasai, Pygmies and Hadzabe. It is also used for conferences. Also offered at the centre are day rooms found on the top of the building. They serve as resting place in the calm environment after a long safari trp. The spa at the Gallery offers a verity of personal care and treatments. The proceeds from the Gallery go to the conservation of elephants in Africa and the main concept of this is anti poaching clearly defined by the sculpture of the large unique beaded elephant. However, other causes such as orphanages, schools and boreholes and well drilling benefit from the proceeds. The centre also has a restaurant, coffee chop, spice centre, beads centre, and flea shop, which offers a variety of artifacts at different prices. Apart from the art the centre vibrated with warm hospitality. Cultural Heritage is visited by tourists from all over the world. It has been honored by visits from distinguished guests and state leaders such as President Bill Clinton, The prince William of Holland and his wife, Former UN secretary Mr. Kofi Annan, and celebrities such as Cindy Crawford. However every visitor who visits Cultural Heritage is treated as a Celebrity.
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  • Archie
    Glenmoore, Pennsylvania5,326 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful art and carvings
    This is a must visit. Its free entrance. There are paintings and carvings. Its numerous. They are also available to purchase. There is a shop and restaurant attached to it. We were blown away by the beautiful paintings of the animals. The intricate wood carvings. There is an accessible ramp throughout the gallery. They also sell Tanzanite.
    Thank you for the review.
    Written 22 June 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited June 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 21 June 2023
  • W C
    3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Cultural Transformation
    The Cultural Heritage Center was amazing! I felt transformed being in there. Wonderful art pieces! Beautiful and rich African history! Knowledgeable staff. Reasonable prices in the shops! Would love to go again after comparing the quality to other markets.
    Thank you for the review and enjoying the art. You are most welcome to visit us again.
    Written 25 June 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited June 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 25 June 2023
  • James
    San Diego, California12 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Good selection, reasonable prices and the best attraction in Arusha
    While the main entrance has mostly wooden carvings, there are several rooms with a wide selection of souvenirs including glassware, kitchenware, and fabrics. There is also a restaurant if you want to enjoy a meal or a snack. The large number of statues made for a good number of photo opportunities.
    Thank you for the review.
    Written 25 June 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited June 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 25 June 2023
  • HinMunich
    Munich, Germany81 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Astonishingly overpriced and aimed at gullible tourists
    Great repository of all forms of art from paintings, sculptures, basketry and textiles. However, the amount of items on display is overwhelming and leads to a feeling of overload due to the piles in every nook and cranny (with the exception of some areas in the art gallery). Some artwork has even been damaged from having been propped on the ground in haphazard stacks. Very overpriced to the point we did not even contemplate buying anything. Animal paintings being sold for USD 3000 here can be seen at roadside craft stores. The proprietor should understand that his price point is astronomically high and he might even increase sales and make a better profit by lowering prices. A similar blanket was half the price at Shanga with the proceeds going to the disabled community. I would also query whether all items are produced in Tanzania or even Africa, or whether some are mass produced in China. We are always happy to pay higher prices when traveling in developing countries and make a real effort to support local communities, we also prefer fixed pricing however, this was beyond ridiculous. The staff are also slightly downcast and without much warmth and follow at a distance even when you say that you would like to browse without assistance. Overall, the feeling I came away with was that this was a marketplace with the intention to fleece tourists.
    Thank you for the review. Unfortunately we feel reading your review that you want to compare the largest Art Gallery in Africa with roadside shacks and I can understand that not everyone has the ability to understand the value of Art, so we want to let you know that we appreciate your review and as we do not have a charge to enjoy our Gallery and the shops so it did not cost you to come and look at the largest Art Gallery in Africa which we take pride in supporting over 3000 families through our endeavors.
    Written 29 June 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited June 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 28 June 2023
  • nyalpi
    Hong Kong, China178 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    A overwhelmingly large art gallery and extradorinarily big souvenir shop!
    Free entry. HUGE!!! The biggest souvenir shop I could imagine! Also a huge art gallery where almost everything was for sale! Art and artifacts from all around Africa. Good that staff did not pester me to buy anything. A good place to visit at the beginning of a trip to get a sense of the art and souvenirs available around the country. Also good place to buy souvenirs at the end of a trip.
    Thank you for the review.
    Written 3 July 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited June 2023
    Written 29 June 2023
  • Laurie P
    Arlington Heights, Illinois31 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Terrific find
    The building alone was worth the trip- and free to enter. Amazing design. It's like a gallery of African art presented in a spiral so at the top all of the works can be seen. Almost overwhelming - in a good way. Such a variety of styles and art forms at various price points ranging from souvenirs and gifts to investment pieces for the home. A must see.
    Thank you for the review.
    Written 27 July 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited July 2023
    Written 20 July 2023
  • Steve R
    North Potomac, Maryland6 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great place to shop
    Increduible place. Got almost all of my souvenirs here. Diferent shops from art, carvings, spices and teas, clothes (t-shirts and hats), and a restaurant. Free admission. Staff helpful, and did not follow me around, but could be found when needed to assist. Got some great tanzanite jewelry here.
    Thank you for your review.
    Written 28 July 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited July 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 28 July 2023
  • Desibabe
    22 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Curated visit for an hour or two
    This is a great place for a couple of hours - artwork by local artists, lots of souvenir shops. The souvenir shops are fixed rate but the art gallery isn't. Same owner. If you like a painting or sculpture, you can negotiate. I visited the Tanzanite store here and they were welcoming, showed me some beautiful stones and explained how to evaluate stones. I bought a ring with a small stone and got the certificate with it. Very pleased with my purchase and wore it home. BUT less than a week later the stone fell out. Luckily, I found it but now have to take it to my local jeweler to get it reset.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 13 October 2023
  • Ebru S
    9 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Very interesting place with many things to see
    We visited the Arusha Cultural Heritage Center, where we saw amazing crafts and learned about Tanzania's traditions. There were colorful things and interesting stories – it was like a fun gallery! At night, we stayed at Tumbili Lodge. It was a cozy place with soft beds and tasty food. The lodge had a nice garden where we played and saw some friendly monkeys, or "tumbili" in Swahili. It was like a little adventure right at the lodge! The people from Tanzania Horizon Safaris and the lodge were really nice. They took care of us and made our trip special. Our guide Patrick told us cool things about the culture, and we laughed a lot. Even though it was a short visit, we had the best time at the Arusha Cultural Heritage Center and Tumbili Lodge with Tanzania Horizon Safaris.
    Thank you for the visit.
    Written 4 January 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 2 December 2023
  • mel7155
    Singapore, Singapore891 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Ok place to visit to see local products . More expensive than outside and can’t bargain
    If you are into visiting and buying local products that you can’t bargain , then this place is for you . Do note that to me, I find the products way overpriced especially tanzanite where you can get at a lower price in your home country from a renowned gem dealer . Since tanzanite is a birth stone , you can find it in any country being sold. However there are some products available only in Tanzania, recently could purchase them here - stuff like fridge magnets , caps, patches for Kilimanjaro or Tanzanian safari parks , you can purchase them here for a small markup as the products are relatively low priced
    Dear Client, Based on your review, you are absolutely correct that we represent local artisans from various fields and the prices are set by them on the basis of fair trade As for Tanzanite, the quality dictates the price. So any Tanzanite you find in any other place has come from Arusha. We take customer feedback seriously and are committed to making things right. Thank you so much for taking the time to review us.
    Written 2 January 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 22 December 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles1,164 reviews
Excellent
568
Very good
372
Average
155
Poor
36
Terrible
33

Leigh L
Argyle, TX19 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Family
This is an amazing place with incredible items from all over Africa. They offered a large number of distinctive masks that my son collects and were very careful in wrapping and securing the 5 that he bought so they would not get broken on the flights back to the USA. Jewelry, small and large crafts of every kind are available so be sure to allow time to browse the many areas.
Written 15 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for the review.
Written 16 March 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

David N
88 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Couples
A complete village. Start with a walk around the museum with 4 floors of African antiques, sculptures, paintings etc. Sadly everything is for sale. After go shopping around the multiple craft shops and end with a coffee or food in the restaurant. A good 2 hours.
Written 5 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for the review. The Art Gallery is a commercial gallery, hence everything is for sale. There is lots to see here and one can spend a whole day here.
Written 6 March 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

TravelWiznit
Scottsdale, AZ19 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Solo
Nice place to visit and shop while waiting to depart. Wouldn’t go out of my way to visit but if you need to spend the time somewhere….
Written 27 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for the review. All your shopping can be done here, be it souvenir's, handcrafts, antiques, paintings, clothes, Jewelry, Tanzanite gemstones, spices, coffee, home decor...and many more interesting items to purchase.
Written 28 February 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Deidre M
Comox, Canada14 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Family
Well the actual art gallery is very nice and the architecture is impressive but we got very sick from the food in the restaurant. Only the people in our group who ate there got sick.
Written 3 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Client, Thank you for your review and we are really sorry to hear that you got sick from eating in our restaurant, for we take pride in the food we serve in the restaurant and it has never happened before. We take your comments very seriously and we are investigating this thoroughly. Our e-mail is : curator@culturalheritage.co.tz and if you could let us know the date when you had the food will help us very much.
Written 5 February 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

mhmelon
Austin, TX13 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Friends
What an amazing place to tour. We met the owner and he gave us a lesson on buying tanzanite. I did purchase a lovely ring from him. The incredible art is far more than you can see in one day, we went back twice. The locals are so very talented in paintings, sculptures. Masks etc also no pressure to buy anything is also nice. I would recommend anyone visiting Arusha not to miss going in there.
Written 24 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for the review and your recommendation. You are most welcome to visit us again.
Written 26 January 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

teamadcor
Quickborn, Germany1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2023 • Solo
Incredible place filled with cultural treasures. Wonderful and informative encounter with the artists and their craft. Mask collection is outstanding.
Written 6 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for the review. Cultural Heritage is a treasure trove of African Art. Thank you for enjoying the art.
Written 26 January 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

mel7155
Singapore, Singapore891 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2023 • Friends
If you are into visiting and buying local products that you can’t bargain , then this place is for you .

Do note that to me, I find the products way overpriced especially tanzanite where you can get at a lower price in your home country from a renowned gem dealer . Since tanzanite is a birth stone , you can find it in any country being sold.

However there are some products available only in Tanzania, recently could purchase them here - stuff like fridge magnets , caps, patches for Kilimanjaro or Tanzanian safari parks , you can purchase them here for a small markup as the products are relatively low priced
Written 22 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Client, Based on your review, you are absolutely correct that we represent local artisans from various fields and the prices are set by them on the basis of fair trade As for Tanzanite, the quality dictates the price. So any Tanzanite you find in any other place has come from Arusha. We take customer feedback seriously and are committed to making things right. Thank you so much for taking the time to review us.
Written 3 January 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

nelson m
New York City, NY3 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2023 • Family
The place looks really nice both on the inside and the outside but the items on display are a bit overpriced. Buut its nice to have a look in Arusha
Written 16 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Glad you like both inside and outside. Our prices are based on fair trade as per artist prices.
Written 19 December 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Lisa C
Canehill, AR10 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2023 • Family
What an awesome place to see African artisan works. The carvings were spectacular and my favorite. What an experience for a family of eight to explore!
Written 6 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Glad you had a wonderful experience. Thank you for the visit.
Written 15 December 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Ebru S
9 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Family
We visited the Arusha Cultural Heritage Center, where we saw amazing crafts and learned about Tanzania's traditions. There were colorful things and interesting stories – it was like a fun gallery!

At night, we stayed at Tumbili Lodge. It was a cozy place with soft beds and tasty food. The lodge had a nice garden where we played and saw some friendly monkeys, or "tumbili" in Swahili. It was like a little adventure right at the lodge!

The people from Tanzania Horizon Safaris and the lodge were really nice. They took care of us and made our trip special. Our guide Patrick told us cool things about the culture, and we laughed a lot. Even though it was a short visit, we had the best time at the Arusha Cultural Heritage Center and Tumbili Lodge with Tanzania Horizon Safaris.
Written 2 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for the visit.
Written 5 January 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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Cultural Heritage Centre - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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