The National Museum was established by an Act of Parliament in 1967 and oficially opened to the public in 1968 as a private institution. It was taken over by the Governmnent in 1976.The National Museum is a research and educational institution which provides instruction through visual displays, lectures and slides or film shows to the public. It researches on, collects, conserves and preserves Botswana's natural and cultural heritage. It also tea aches about the people of Botswana, their past and their interaction with their environment: thus promoting an understanding of Botswana' heritage as a whole.It also upholds an understanding of the cultural patterns of the diverse ethnicities which make up our nation.