Maseru: Discover Culture and History

In Maseru District, Morija and Thaba Bosiu offer distinct ways to explore the culture and history of Lesotho. Morija is known as Lesotho’s City of the Arts; Thaba Bosiu is associated with the political, cultural and spiritual history of the Basotho nation. For travellers with these interests, this offers two clearly distinct thematic focuses.

Morija: Museum and Exhibitions

Morija Museum & Archives is home to the oldest surviving museum and archive in the Kingdom of Lesotho. Its history can be traced through two milestones: the museum officially opened in 1956 and moved to its current permanent premises in 1989.

Current exhibitions cover topics including the origins of the universe, meteorites, continental drift, geology and dinosaur fossils. They also feature hunter-gatherer cultures and the history and culture of the Basotho. Maps, photographs and other exhibition materials round out the collection; animals of Lesotho are also represented, including mammals, birds and reptiles. Natural history topics are presented alongside cultural and national history. If a particular exhibition topic is key to your visit, check the exhibition details in advance.

Art, Culture and Events in Morija

Morija Arts Centre hosts exhibitions of art and crafts, workshops and music events. Together with The Hub @ Morija and Morija Museum & Archives, it forms the core of Morija’s Cultural Precinct. The museum brings together natural and cultural history exhibits, while the Arts Centre focuses on art, crafts, workshops and music events.

Morija hosted the nationally recognised Morija Arts & Cultural Festival from 1999 to 2013. This clearly defined period adds a festival chapter to Morija’s institutional history. If you want to plan your trip around a specific exhibition, workshop or music event, check the relevant dates in advance.

Thaba Bosiu: A Historic Focus

Thaba Bosiu National Monument served as the political, cultural and spiritual centre of the Basotho nation from 1824 to 1870. This clearly defined historical role differs from Morija’s exhibitions and activities: the focus here is the monument’s role during a precisely specified period.

Lesotho as a Wider Travel Destination

The wider destination of Lesotho also offers a distinct focus on nature and hiking. Bokong Nature Reserve is the starting point for a 32 km, two- to three-day hike to Ts’ehlanyane National Park across an alpine plateau sometimes called the Roof of Africa. Check route details against current conditions locally. Rare, heath-like mountain fynbos grows on the upper slopes of Ts’ehlanyane National Park, alongside aloes, irises and other flowering plants that bloom especially profusely in spring. In Bokong Nature Reserve, the Lepaqoa Falls plunge over a 60-metre cliff and often freeze into a column of ice in winter. Whether the ice column forms varies with conditions.

Discover more destinations: Maseru, Lirahalibonoe, Roma, Mphoto, Butha-Buthe, Thaba-Tseka, Leribe, Qacha's Nek

For the full travel overview: Lesotho.