Set within the former palace of Emperor Haile Selassie now serves as the main Administration center for Addis Abeba University the area commonly called as Sidist Kilo, the Ethnological (sometimes called the Ethnographic) Museum is part of the Institute of Ethiopian Studies. Many have described the museum as one of the best in Africa since what it lacks in artifacts makes up for it being original.

Rather than sticking to clichéd geographic or ethnic layouts,the exhibit starts with the theme “childhood” by the entrance revolving around birth, games and tales eventually moving into “adulthood” which deals with more serious issues concerning culture, war, religion and nomadism. Finally the topic turns to “death and beyond”, outlining burial structures and customs, tombs and stelae. The museum is a refreshingly innovative way to explore Ethiopian culture and is definitely worth visiting