National museum

This comprises of many archaeological and historical findings, from Ethiopian history, art and culture. The museum is a home of the famous complete female hominid fossil remains of “Lucy” locally known as Dinknesh meaning “wonderful”. Discovered in 1974 in Hadar on the banks of the Awash River, her scientific name is Australopithecus Afarnses, she is dated back to 3.2 million years the most complete hominid yet discovered.

Ethnography museum

It is located in the main campus of Addis Ababa University by the Institute of Ethiopian Studies with the aim to preserve the country’s historical and cultural heritages. This is Ethiopian’s first and only ethnological museum exhibiting the physical environment and traditional artifacts of all major ethnic groups (including costumes, jewelry, traditional house hold goods, farming implementation, military and hunting weapons, art, traditional musical instruments, both Christian and Muslim parchments manuscripts, icons, medieval painting and various processional and hand crosses ). The building was once Emperor Haile Selassie’s palace, so it offers a unique opportunity to see his majesty bed room and a glimpse how Ethiopian royal used to live.

St. George Cathedral and museum

This octagonal church, which was built by Emperor Menilik II in 1896 in commemoration of Ethiopian victory over the Italian invaders at the Battle of Adwa. Here also you will visit paintings by the world Laureate Mater Artist, Afework Tekle, which decorated the interior wall, and glass window of the church and other ecclesiastical royal and cultural heritage of the past are displayed in cathedral’s small museum within the compound.

Menilik II Mausoleum

This magnificent piece of architecture was built in 1913 to house the elaborated marble tombs of Emperor Menelik II (1844-1913). An active church, the mausoleum is also the final resting place of Empress Taitou (1851-1918), Menelik II's wife, and Empress Zauditu (1876-1930), who ruled Ethiopia after her father's death. Still in use as a church, the mausoleum temporarily held the remains of Emperor Haile Selassie after they were recovered in 1990 and Princess Tsehai Haile Selassie. High up on the hill that overlooks the city, two lion statues guard each entrance to the mausoleum.