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Wikimedia Community User Group Uganda/GLAM on Tour

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Overview

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GLAM on Tour is an outreach, learning, and documentation program organized by the Wikimedia Community User Group Uganda. The 2025 edition focused on improving free knowledge related to Uganda’s cultural heritage through visits to two significant cultural institutions:

  • Uganda Railway Museum (Jinja)
  • Ham Mukasa Museum (Mukono)

The tour provided participants with hands-on opportunities to document exhibits, take high-quality photos, learn from curators, and expand Wikimedia content related to Ugandan history, rail transport, and cultural heritage.

Project Objectives

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The project is designed to achieve several interconnected goals:

1. Strengthen GLAM Partnerships

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  • Build long-term collaborations with the Uganda Railway Museum and Ham Mukasa Museum.
  • Increase institutional understanding of open knowledge, Creative Commons licensing, and Wikimedia projects.
  • Encourage future content-sharing and joint initiatives.

2. Improve Free Knowledge on Uganda’s Cultural Heritage

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  • Photograph and upload images of museum collections, spaces, and exhibits to Wikimedia Commons.
  • Expand Wikipedia articles about:
    • The Uganda Railway Museum
    • Ham Mukasa Museum
    • The history of rail transport in Uganda
    • Ham Mukasa’s legacy and contributions
  • Add structured metadata and categories, including GLAM in Uganda.

3. Build Community Skills & Capacity

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  • Train participants in:
    • Heritage documentation
    • Photographic best practices for Commons
    • Writing and publishing Diff stories
  • Understanding how museums preserve knowledge

Engage new community members in GLAM work.

4. Promote Knowledge Sharing & Advocacy

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  • Encourage participants to write Diff blog posts reflecting on the tour.
  • Increase the visibility of GLAM Uganda activities in the region.
  • Showcase the importance of documenting local heritage.

Activities Conducted

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1. Visit to the Uganda Railway Museum – Jinja

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Participants explored:

  • Historic railway carriages
  • Rail infrastructure
  • Archival displays on Uganda’s railway history
  • Oral histories and narratives preserved by the museum

They captured images and gathered information to strengthen Wikimedia content on Uganda’s transport heritage.

2. Visit to the Ham Mukasa Museum – Mukono

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Participants learned about:

  • The life and legacy of Ham Mukasa
  • Colonial-era artifacts
  • Early education and missionary-era history in Uganda
  • Architectural elements of Mukasa’s historic home

Photos were taken to illustrate articles and showcase cultural items preserved at the museum.

3. Photography for Wikimedia Commons

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  • Hundreds of photographs were taken of artifacts, buildings, exhibits, and surrounding areas.
  • All contributions were uploaded to Wikimedia Commons under GLAM in Uganda.

4. Diff Blog Reflections

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Participants documented their experiences through Diff blog posts focusing on:

  • Their learning
  • Museum highlights
  • Challenges and opportunities
  • Future ideas for GLAM activities

5. Community Engagement

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  • Shared meals, networking, and discussions
  • Reviewing best practices for GLAM documentation
  • Identifying future collaboration opportunities with both museums

Outcomes

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1. Improved Wikimedia Content

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  • New images added to Wikimedia Commons
  • Updated and newly created Wikipedia articles
  • Strengthened categorization and metadata for cultural heritage content

2. Increased Awareness in GLAM Institutions

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  • Museums gained deeper understanding of Wikimedia projects
  • Staff expressed interest in future collaboration
  • Openness to content sharing and joint activities

3. Enhanced Volunteer Skills

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Participants gained skills in:

  • Photography
  • Commons uploading
  • GLAM documentation standards
  • Writing narratives for Diff

4. Strengthened GLAM-Wiki Network

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  • Closer ties between Wikimedia Uganda and cultural institutions
  • Higher visibility of Uganda’s cultural heritage within the Wikimedia Movement
  • Foundation for future GLAM events (workshops, edit-a-thons, content drives, etc.)

Lessons Learned

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  • Pre-tour preparation helps participants understand GLAM goals better.
  • Having a clear uploading workflow improves Commons contributions.
  • Coordinating with museum staff ahead of time ensures smooth documentation.
  • Participants appreciate structured reflections via Diff blog posts.

Next Steps

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  • Plan additional GLAM on Tour visits in 2026.
  • Organize a GLAM Content Drive focused on improving articles using photos collected.
  • Continue discussions with partner museums regarding open access and possible content donations.
  • Train more local Wikimedians in GLAM activities to expand capacity.
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