Nelson Mandela is one of the great moral and political leaders of our time: an international hero whose lifelong dedication to the fight against racial oppression in South Africa won him the Nobel Peace Prize and the presidency of his country.

Since his triumphant release in 1990 from more than a quarter-century of imprisonment, Mandela has been at the centre of a most compelling and inspiring political drama - the building of a post-apartheid South Africa.

As president of the African National Congress and head of South Africa's anti-apartheid movement, he was instrumental in moving the nation toward multiracial government and majority rule. He is revered everywhere as a vital force in the fight for human rights and racial equality.

The Nelson Mandela National Museum opened its doors on the 11th of February 2000 and is visited by thousands of South African and international tourists every year. It is considered one of South Africa's most significant heritage institutions.
The Museum houses an exhibition on Mandela's book " Long Walk to Freedom," gives an account of his life in context, and preserves a collection of gifts given to Mandela. It is situated in Mthatha, Eastern Cape, South Africa, one of the poorest provinces in the country and its inhabitants are rightfully proud of their favourite son.