The Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe, housed in a large building in Centenary Park, is widely considered one of the finest natural history museums in Africa. The collections are genuinely impressive: the geology hall covers Zimbabwe's extraordinary mineral wealth, the zoology galleries have comprehensive displays of the country's wildlife, and the ethnography and archaeology sections document the cultures and history of Zimbabwe's peoples from the Stone Age to the colonial era.
The star of the collection is the elephant in the entrance hall — the largest recorded African elephant, an enormous mounted specimen that fills the space. Beyond the headline exhibits, the museum rewards time spent in the less-visited galleries: the insect collection, the fossil displays, and the botany section are all excellent. Allow at least two hours. Centenary Park surrounding the museum is pleasant for a walk before or after.