Red Terror Martyrs’ Memorial Museum

The Red Terror Martyrs' Memorial Museum opened in 2010 to remember the tens of thousands of people killed, imprisoned and tortured under the Derg, the military government that ruled Ethiopia after the fall of Haile Selassie. The Red Terror campaign of the late 1970s targeted students, political opponents and anyone suspected of disloyalty, and almost every Ethiopian family of that generation was touched by it. The museum tells that story directly, which makes it one of the most important, and most difficult, places to visit in Addis Ababa.

Displays include a pictorial history of the period, instruments of torture, coffins, bloodied clothing, skulls and bones, and photographs of victims. Guided tours start with the end of the imperial era, including Haile Selassie's eightieth birthday celebrations, and move through the revolution and the years of violence that followed. Guides also describe how prisoners were held and how they found ways to communicate with one another. A sculpture forms part of the memorial.

The content is graphic in places and can be upsetting, so it is not suitable for young children, and adults should be prepared for what they will see. Many visitors find that a guided tour gives essential context, and that the museum changes how they understand the city's recent past. Allow about an hour. Entry has been free, with the museum relying on donations, so it is worth leaving a contribution if you can.

Published listings give daily opening from 08:30 to 18:30, but times can change, so check locally before making a special trip. Photography may be restricted in some rooms; ask before taking pictures. Visitors are expected to behave with the quiet respect of a memorial, as families of victims also come here.

The museum is on Africa Avenue. It pairs well with the Addis Ababa Museum on Meskel Square, which covers the longer history of the city, and with the Hyatt Regency on the square, whose cafes are a calm place to sit afterwards. Unity Park, the former palace grounds of the emperors whose fall the Red Terror followed, adds another layer to the same story.