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Place · Meskel Square & Kazanchis

Red Terror Martyrs Memorial MuseumQey Shibir Museum

A sobering museum documenting the Derg regime's 1977–1978 Red Terror campaign, near Meskel Square: a heavy but important indoor hour, best combined with a lighter morning stop.

go at hour · morningadmission: unknownNot field-verified
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Key facts

Time on site
45–60 min
p95 90 min
Price
Free; donations welcome
adult, 2026 estimate
Hours
09:00–17:00
typical, check
Best time
morning
quietest window
28″ bags
Painful
Meskel Square & Kazanchis: painful
Getting there
Car to the museum entrance, Meskel Square area
  • Derg-era history
  • Free entry, donations welcome
  • Graphic content: not for young children
  • Go morning
  • Free entry
  • Mostly indoors

Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.

Rules in force · 13Nine African countries on this site have no trip line bec…Carry the yellow fever certificate on every leg of a mult…Do not photograph government buildings, military sites, p…
  • Africa ↗When a route touches a yellow-fever country — even a transit of 12 hours or more — keep the original yellow card (ICVP) in your hand luggage; health desks and airlines can refuse boarding or entry without it.
  • Africa ↗Nine African countries on this site have no trip line because governments advise against travel; several others have no-go regions. Read your government's advice for every country on the route before paying deposits.
  • East Africa ↗Carry the yellow fever certificate on every leg of a multi-country trip: Uganda and Burundi check it for all arrivals, and a stop in Kenya or Ethiopia makes the next border ask for it.
  • East Africa ↗Advice for Ethiopia, Somaliland, Eritrea, Somalia, South Sudan and the Congo border areas can change within days; read your government's page the week you fly and before every regional flight.
  • East Africa ↗Price park, reserve and permit fees before comparing lodges: they are charged per person per day, often with VAT, and are fixed whatever bed you choose.
  • Ethiopia ↗Apply for the Ethiopian e-visa only on the official portal before you fly; visas on arrival have been suspended for most foreign visitors (check the current status for your passport).
  • Ethiopia ↗Check your government's advice zone by zone before booking any domestic flight; in 2026 the UK and US advise against all travel to Amhara and Tigray, and the US also to Afar.
  • Ethiopia ↗Book a travel-clinic visit several weeks ahead; ask about malaria prevention below about 2,000 m, altitude, and yellow fever — Ethiopia is itself a yellow fever risk country, so your next destination may ask for the certificate.
  • Ethiopia ↗Confirm times in writing: local 'Ethiopian time' counts hours from about 6 am, so 2 o'clock local can mean 8 am.
  • Addis Ababa area ↗Check your own government's travel advice before booking domestic flights: some regions carry warnings or restrictions that change quickly.
  • Addis Ababa ↗Addis is at about 2,350 m: rest on the first afternoon, drink water and go easy on alcohol the first night.
  • Addis Ababa ↗Use a hotel car or a ride-hailing app (such as Ride or Feres) where available; agree the fare before you get in a street taxi. Avoid cross-town trips at 07:30–09:30 and 16:30–19:00.
  • Addis Ababa ↗Do not photograph government buildings, military sites, police or airports. Ask before photographing people.
Usually 09:00–17:00
Map & directions
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Directions
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Plan

Open now, what it costs, what to know, how long it takes

Go now?

hours and prices: check on the day
Open
Usually 09:00–17:00
Crowds

Go morning

Quietest Mon–Sun · desk estimate

Tickets
  • Adult: Free; donations welcome
Time to spend
45–60 min · up to 90 min if you linger
Directions Add to a day →

Weather here, next 7 days

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Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Time on site

minutes

Minimum

30min

Worthwhile

45min

Typical

60min

p95

90min

Hours are not printed here until verified; many Addis museums close on Monday.

Tickets & entry

2026 estimate · check the posted board
Where to buy
  • No ticket needed.
  • Donations welcome.

Official site ↗

Dress code
  • Casual dress is fine; no specific dress code beyond general respect.

What to wear: dress-code checker

Photos
  • Ask staff before photographing exhibits, especially personal testimony and photographs of victims.
What's closed
  • MondaycheckMany Addis museums close on Monday; confirm before you go.

“Check” dates move year to year: confirm on the official page for your date.

TicketPriceNote
EntryFree; donations welcome—

On the ground

Getting in, crowds, and where to go if it does not work

Getting in

Stop
Car to the museum entrance, Meskel Square area
Exit
—
Ticket
free · official site
Stairs
unknown
Shoes
Shoes on.

Crowds and switching

Crowd clock
Quiet most days.
Sensory load
2/5
Exposure
low

Bailouts

  1. heat

    Nearest café (field-verify)

Nearest rescue anchor: B — Café on the main street (field-verify)

Step-free check

wheelchair: caution
  • Step-free entrance: partly · partly
  • Lifts: check · check
  • Accessible toilet: check · check
  • Wheelchair: partly · partly
  • Stroller: yes · yesok

Level gallery floors; a few steps at the entrance (check).

Combine with

nearest first
  1. 8 minMeskel Square
  2. 12 minAfrican Union headquarters (exterior)

Walk the Meskel Square & Kazanchis area · the cluster page has the walking order, rescue stops and after-dark notes

Red lines

  • This is a memorial to victims of state violence: keep a respectful, quiet tone inside.
  • Some exhibits (photographs, testimony) are graphic; consider carefully before bringing young children.
More on the groundWith kids

With kids

kids: cautionstroller: ok
with kids
Graphic content on state violence; better suited to older teenagers and adults than young children.
child price
free

Deep dive

Questions, what is nearby, photos and sources

Questions and answers

answered by Voykit editors · dated
What was the Red Terror?

A violent political campaign by Ethiopia's Marxist military government (the Derg) in 1977–1978 that killed tens of thousands of perceived opponents; the museum documents victims' stories and the period's history.

Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk

Answers come from Voykit editors, not from other travellers.

Nearby

Straight-line distance; walk time adds 30% for streets.

Sources