The Director General of NIMR, Prof. Said Aboud, along with researchers from the Amani Centre, participated on 15th February 2025 in the launch of the Amani Exhibition titled “AMANI Kukita | Kungoa.” The exhibition took place from 15th February and will continue until 9th June 2025, at the Museum Schwedenspeicher and the Kunsthaus in Stade, Germany.

The opening ceremony was attended by Sonke Harlef, the Mayor of the Hanseatic City of Stade, NIMR Director General, Director of Museen Stade, Dr Sebastian Möllers and Director of Lost Art Foundation, the Tanzania based PI Dr Peter E. Mangesho, among other delegates. The exhibition is part of a collaborative project between NIMR and the Museen Stade focused on the historical context of the Amani Station, formerly known as the Biological-Agricultural Institute Amani (Biologisch-Landwirtschaftliches Institut Amani).

This institute was one of the first in Africa, from 1902 to 1914, to conduct research on medicinal plants from local communities, extending its influence to global levels. The institute hosted a herbarium containing various important plants, many of which have either been lost or are now part of the current Amani biodiversity and nature reserve.

Through this program, both parties are working on researching and documenting significant objects, artefacts, and plants from the Amani biodiversity belonging to NIMR and the establishment and strengthening of the first Medical Research Museum in Africa at Amani. Further to this, the goal is to develop and revive the herbarium at Amani Station as a foundation for initial medicinal plant research while also establishing connections with its Mabibo Traditional Medicine Centre and factory for further advancement in herbal medicine, which is important for public health.
The ongoing exhibition at Stade also provides insights into the research process and invites visitors to critically reflect on the ethical questions associated with it. Plans to establish a similar exhibition at Amani are underway.