The National Museum of Gitega is the primary repository of Burundian cultural and historical objects, housed in a colonial-era building on a hill outside the town centre. The collections cover royal regalia, traditional crafts, weapons, and objects relating to the Burundian monarchy and daily life across different regions of the country.
The museum's strongest section is the exhibit on royal drumming traditions: the significance of specific drums in ceremonies, the hereditary nature of the drummers' role, and the social structures surrounding the monarchy. Labels are predominantly in French, with some English explanation available. The museum staff can sometimes arrange for visitors to observe or participate in a drumming demonstration at the associated drummers' site nearby — worth asking about when you arrive.