The Royal Archives, Museum and Information Resource Centre is a registered non-governmental organization. It is located in Matsieng Royal village, the 1858 settlement of Letsie I which has become the traditional capital of Basotho after Thaba-Bosiu.
The home of the Royal Archives, Museum and Information Resource Centre is an old office of the late Paramount Chieftainess ’Mantšebo Seeiso and King Moshoeshoe II. The Royal Archives were established in March 2008 by the Royal family and is administered on its behalf by professionals in various fields of academia.
It houses pre-colonial and post-colonial records (paper-based, digital and electronic) relating to Chieftainship in Lesotho, published books for library users as well as cultural objects kept in the museum which have a bearing on the Royal family. Nearby is the Royal Palace and homestead and dinosaur footprints and the centre provides guided tours to ruins to Paramount Chief Letsie I’s settlement.
The origins of Matsieng can be traced to the time when Moshoeshoe I sent his senior sons, Letsie I and Molapo to Morija to keep an eye on and provide security for the Paris Evangelical Missionary Society (P.E.M.S.). In 1858, following the burning down of his village in Morija by Free State troops during the first Basotho-Boer War, also called the ‘War of Senekal’, Letsie I relocated to Ha Rakhuiti later called Matsieng (Place of Letsie) about 6 km north-east of Morija. Upon the death of Moshoeshoe I, Matsieng became the royal capital of Paramount Chiefs during the colonial period and has been the traditional home of Lesotho’s royalty since independence.
Morija Museum & Archives hosts the oldest surviving museum and archives in the Kingdom of Lesotho. As an institution with both extensive archival and museum collections and its own ongoing research projects and publishing program, it attracts scholars from far and wide.
For those who love ancient and modern history, contemporary issues and trends, dinosaurs, or living culture, Morija Museum is an Oasis of learning. Located in Morija, a historic town in Lesotho, the Museum works closely with the community to preserve the area's heritage. Known as the Wellspring of Learning, Morija is also regarded as Lesotho’s own town of the arts. Home to the nationally- acclaimed Morija Arts & Cultural Festival (1999-2013), this historic town is a melting pot of cultural, creative, and artistic expression. As home to a number of ongoing cultural projects, as well as a few notable artists, historians, and researchers, Morija continues to attract broad interest. At the centre of this town are the Morija Museum & Archives and its sister institutions, Morija Arts Centre and The Hub @ Morija which form the core of the Cultural Precinct. Morija Arts Centre (MAC) is an arts collective that hosts arts and crafts exhibitions, workshops, and music events. The MAC also takes care of the Maeder House Gallery housed in the oldest standing building in the country. The Hub is a digital creativity lab whose programs are designed to up-skill youth in IT, animation, and film-making.
