Discovereum Children's Museum
The Discovereum is the brainchild of Drs J.N. Maraire and A.N. Chiura who upon relocating back to their homeland Zimbabwe recognised a gap in children’s learning resources in areas such as science, technology, and art. They sought to establish a learning centre for children and young adults as well as a sanctuary for families to learn collaboratively and interactively with each other. And so, the Discovereum was founded as the first museum with a strong focus on free choice learning and learning through play.
The Mission
The Discovereum is the brainchild of Drs J.N. Maraire and A.N. Chiura who, upon relocating back to their homeland Zimbabwe, recognized a gap in children’s learning resources in areas such as science, technology, and art. They sought to establish a learning centre for children and young adults as well as a sanctuary for families to learn collaboratively and interactively with each other. And so, the Discovereum was founded as the first museum with a strong focus on free-choice learning and learning through play. To date, the Founding Trustees have contributed USD $50,000 towards fixed and variable costs, and USD $26,000 has been raised through individual philanthropists as well as corporate investments. A further USD $77,000 investment is needed in order to develop exhibits at a new site. Since officially opening in 2016 as Zimbabwe’s first children’s museum, the Discovereum has rapidly become a pioneering centre for STEAM education, serving both urban and rural communities. It provides interactive exhibits such as a Dinosaur Cave, Science Laboratory, Ancient Egypt, Transport & Energy displays, a technology hub and more, all designed around the philosophy of free-choice learning and learning through play. With a mission to complement school curricula and stimulate curiosity beyond the classroom, the Discovereum also runs outreach programs aimed at schools with limited resources, offering field trips and on-site experiences that make science accessible and engaging across Zimbabwe. Emphasizing community as much as education, the Discovereum also includes spaces for the performing and visual arts, a library, auditorium, and outdoor learning environments for environmental science and conservation exploration. The founders themselves contributed the land and extensively retrofitted it to support these ambitions, turning a converted warehouse into a vibrant learning sanctuary. With these existing offerings, the Discovereum is ready for its next phase—but requires the additional USD $77,000 for developing the exhibits and infrastructure at a new permanent site where it can grow into a national hub for innovation and youth engagement.
While we work toward building a permanent home for the Discovereum, we bring the experience directly to communities through our innovative pop-up exhibitions. These interactive STEAM-focused installations can be hired for schools, corporate events, and community gatherings, offering hands-on learning and engaging activities that spark curiosity and creativity for children and families alike!
Bring the Discovereum to your next event! Book our pop-up exhibits today and create an unforgettable, interactive learning experience for children and families. Contact us at discovereumharare@gmail.com to reserve your date.
Support Discovereum
In pledging your support for the awards and the mission of ZC7, your investment directly impacts the lives of Zimbabwean youth looking to pursue passions as wide ranging as sports excellence at international competitive levels, to environmental advancements like developing systems to harness electricity through peanut shells. The individuals given scholarships go on to pursue tertiary education in the United States, and the United Kingdom, or engage with their chosen initiatives at home, helping to bolster innovation across Zimbabwe, engage other young people like them both nationally and internationally.
To learn more, engage with us, or to donate, please use our contact form.