Tanzanite Museum Zanzibar
Discover the origins, geological formation, and cultural importance of Tanzanite in this immersive museum experience, featuring a replica mine and curated jewelry collection.
Planning your visit
Tanzanite comes from a single deposit at Merelani near Kilimanjaro, on the Tanzanian mainland, and Zanzibar's museum exists because the island receives the visitors.
The exhibition covers the geology that produced a stone found nowhere else on earth, the 1967 discovery, the mining conditions in the shafts, and the grading by colour, saturation and clarity that determines price. A replica mine shaft gives some sense of the working conditions.
The pleochroism is demonstrated — the stone shows blue, violet and burgundy depending on the angle it is viewed from, which is its distinguishing property.
Certification is the practical issue for anyone buying: synthetic and heat-treated material is widely sold to tourists, and reputable dealers issue documentation.
Stone Town's own attractions are the palace museums and the former slave market.
Allow forty-five minutes. Current availability is listed below.
Before you book
Where is Tanzanite Museum Zanzibar?
Tanzanite Museum Zanzibar is in Zanzibar City, Tanzania.
How long should I allow for Tanzanite Museum Zanzibar?
Allow forty-five minutes. That is the time the collection itself takes at an unhurried pace, before any queue.
Do I need to book Tanzanite Museum Zanzibar in advance?
Tickets can be bought on the door at quiet times, but booking ahead fixes the date and avoids the queue at busy ones. Live availability is shown on this page.