One of the oldest historic buildings in Windhoek, the Alte Feste in the city centre, will be renovated and turned into an art, craft, and heritage centre.

The initiative by the Namibia Craft Centre and the Ministry of Education, Arts, and Culture aims to revitalise the historic building.

It will have a craft market, an art gallery, a training workshop, art studios, a restaurant, and a courtyard, and it will retain the museum functions.

The renovation and repurposing project is estimated to cost N$30 million and will be done in phases.

The US Embassy in Namibia committed about N$5 million to the project under the US Ambassador's Cultural Preservation Fund.

Upon completion, the Alte Feste building is expected to draw in tourists from around the world, fostering cultural exchange and dialogue. 

The project is in line with the Ministry's vision to use arts and culture as drivers of social change and economic growth. 

Following the inauguration of the Independence Memorial Museum in 2014, the displays in Alte Feste were moved into the new museum, leading to its closure the following year. 

The building is expected to be inaugurated in April of next year.