Maun in Ngamiland East is a starting point for many travelers heading to the Okavango Delta. It is also home to the Nhabe Museum, housed in a historic building dating from 1939, where artists make and sell artworks at the Bailey Arts Centre. Travel planning, architectural history and artistic practice thus offer three concrete perspectives to consider as you plan your trip.
Maun as a reference point for your trip
If the Okavango Delta is part of your trip, Maun’s role as a starting point makes it a useful reference point. For a cultural focus, you can also consider the history of the Nhabe Museum and the artistic work at the Bailey Arts Centre. When choosing a hotel, you can weigh these interests: will Maun feature in your plans mainly in connection with your trip to the Delta, or would you also like to consider history and art? Both topics can inform your decision; which matters more depends on your travel plans.
Nhabe Museum: architectural history and art
The Nhabe Museum is in Maun, in a historic building dating from 1939. The British military built the building; during the Second World War, it served as an observation post for monitoring the German presence in Namibia. The year it was built and its use during the Second World War mark two distinct points in time: its construction and its later use as an observation post. At the Nhabe Museum’s Bailey Arts Centre, artists make and sell artworks. The museum therefore brings together two distinct cultural themes: the building’s history, including its military use during the war, and the creation and sale of artworks. If you are including Maun in your travel plans for cultural reasons, you can consider these perspectives separately.
Cultural context within the wider North-West destination
In the wider North-West destination, the Nhabe Museum began operating in April 1996. Visitors can explore the history and artistic, historical and social aspects of various cultures there. A basket structure stands in front of the Nhabe Museum in Maun. These details broaden the picture beyond the building’s origins: they also relate to various cultural aspects and a work of art in front of the museum.
Gcwihaba is designated a National Monument in the wider North-West destination and has been proposed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. These are different status descriptions: the National Monument designation has been granted, while the UNESCO designation is a proposal. Looking beyond Maun’s local perspective, you can distinguish two separate points of reference: the Nhabe Museum and its cultural themes, and Gcwihaba with its existing designation and proposed status.
Getting there and finding a hotel
This allows you to tailor your flight planning to your specific travel dates. Combined with Maun’s role as a starting point for trips to the Okavango Delta, it provides a practical framework for deciding how to get there, while the museum and Bailey Arts Centre add a cultural perspective on Maun.
Discover more destinations: Khwai, Chobe, Ngamiland North.
For the wider travel overview: North-West District.
