Exploring Culture and Heritage: GLAM Outreach by Wikimedia Community User Group Uganda

GLAM in the Museum

The Wikimedia Community User Group Uganda recently carried out an exciting GLAM outreach activity, visiting two important cultural sites: the Uganda Railway Museum in Jinja and the Ham Mukasa Museum in Mukono. These visits were part of the group’s ongoing efforts to preserve and share Uganda’s heritage through GLAM — Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums — a global movement that works with cultural institutions to make knowledge freely accessible online.

Why GLAM Matters

GLAM projects help ensure that historical information, photos, documents, and stories are safely preserved and available to everyone through Wikimedia platforms like Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, and Wikidata. By collaborating with museums, volunteers can document collections, improve articles, and support cultural institutions in reaching a wider audience.

Visit to the Uganda Railway Museum – Jinja

The first stop was the Uganda Railway Museum, located in Jinja. The museum highlights the history of the Uganda Railway, which played a major role in shaping transport, trade, and settlement in the region.
During the visit, volunteers:

• Explored exhibits showing how the railway was built and operated
• Learned about the locomotives, tools, and equipment used throughout history
• Documented information and images to support Wikimedia projects
• Engaged with museum staff about long-term partnerships for digitization

The visit helped capture stories about Uganda’s transport heritage and showcased how technology can help preserve historical knowledge.

Visit to the Ham Mukasa Museum – Mukono

The second visit took the group to the Ham Mukasa Museum, located at the historic home of Ham Mukasa, an important Ugandan statesman, writer, and education advocate.
Here, volunteers:

• Explored archival materials, books, and personal items belonging to Ham Mukasa
• Learned about his role in promoting education and public service in Uganda
• Photographed artifacts and collected historical notes to enrich Wikimedia content
• Discussed future GLAM activities with museum caretakers

The museum offered a deep look into Uganda’s social and political history, and the team gained valuable material to help improve documentation on Wikimedia platforms.

Impact of the Outreach

These GLAM visits strengthened the relationship between Wikimedia Uganda and local cultural institutions. The new information gathered will help:

• Improve Wikipedia articles related to Uganda’s history
• Add high-quality images of cultural heritage to Wikimedia Commons
• Update and expand structured data on Wikidata
• Support museums in increasing visibility and public engagement

The outreach also inspired more volunteers to get involved in digital heritage preservation.

Looking Ahead

The Wikimedia Community User Group Uganda continues to expand its GLAM partnerships, aiming to work with even more museums and cultural centers across the country. By combining community participation with digital tools, the group is helping ensure that Uganda’s heritage remains accessible for generations to come.