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|established=1883|dissolved=|location=11 Jason Moyo Drive<br>[[Mutare]], [[Manicaland Province|Manicaland]], [[Zimbabwe]]|type=[[Historic house museum]]|visitors=|director=|curator=|publictransit=|website=|logo=|former_name=}}'''Utopia House''' is a [[historic house museum]] in [[Mutare]], [[Zimbabwe]]. The house, constructed in 1897, was the first modern house built in Mutare. It was originally the home of Rhys Fairbridge, one of the earliest white settlers in the area. The house's interior has been restored to what it would have looked like in the 1910s, including some original furniture and Fairbridge family possessions. Along with the [[Mutare Museum]], Utopia House is one of two [[Museum|museums]] in Mutare and is a [[National Monuments of Zimbabwe|National Monument of Zimbabwe]].
== Location ==
Utopia House is located in Mutare's low density [[Murambi, Mutare|Murambi]] suburb, about two miles from the city centre, and around two kilometers away from the [[Mutare Museum]].<ref name=":0"></ref><ref name=":1">Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> The museum's street address is 11 Jason Moyo Drive, across the street from [[St. Dominic's High School (Zimbabwe)|St. Dominic's High School]].<ref name=":2">Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
== History ==
Utopia House was built in 1897 as the home of Rhys and Rosalie Fairbridge.<ref name=":1" /> Rhys Fairbridge, a [[White South Africans|white South African]], arrived in [[Manicaland Province|Manicaland]] in the early 1890s to work as a [[British South Africa Company]] surveyor.<ref name=":1" /> He surveyed the land now comprising the city of Mutare and surrounding areas.<ref name=":1" /> In 1897, he constructed a new home for him and his wife, named "Utopia" and built on one of the best sites he had come across while surveying.<ref name=":1" /> He first built the home's stone walls four feet tall, before temporarily stopping construction due to lack of funds as well as anticipation of the coming [[Wet season|rainy season]].<ref name=":1" /> He positioned supporting poles around the incomplete walls, filled in the gaps with [[Reed mat (craft)|reed mats]], and constructed a [[Thatching|thatched roof]] overhead.<ref name=":1" /> He later finished constructing the home using local materials, with the exception of [[corrugated iron]] roofing, doors, and windows, which he imported from [[South Africa]].<ref name=":1" /> It was the first "modern" or European-style house constructed in Mutare.<ref></ref>
== Description ==
Utopia House is a [[historic house museum]] and a [[National Monuments of Zimbabwe|National Monument of Zimbabwe]].<ref name=":2" /> It is under the care of the [[National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe]], and is curated by the staff of the [[Mutare Museum]].<ref name=":1" /> Utopia House and the Mutare Museum are the only two museums in Mutare, the fourth-largest city in Zimbabwe.<ref name=":1" />
The museum was restored to how it would have looked as a private home during the 1910–20 period.<ref name=":1" /> Many of the Fairbridges' original furniture and possessions were preserved and remain on display inside the home.<ref name=":1" /> Along with its collection of historical artifacts, the museum campus includes gardens and a theater.<ref name=":2" /> The Phoenix Theater holds periodic plays,<ref name=":0" /> while the gardens are home to a statue of Kingsley Ogilvie Fairbridge, a poet and educator and Rhys Fairbridge's son.<ref name=":2" /> The statue was unveiled on 8 July 1953 by [[Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother]] at the summit of [[Christmas Pass]], and was moved to the gardens of Utopia House in 1982.<ref name=":2" />
== See also ==
* [[List of museums in Zimbabwe]]
== References ==
[[Category:1897 establishments in Southern Rhodesia]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Manicaland Province]]
[[Category:Historic house museums]]
[[Category:Houses completed in 1897]]
[[Category:Museums in Zimbabwe]]
[[Category:Mutare]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Manicaland Province]]
== Location ==
Utopia House is located in Mutare's low density [[Murambi, Mutare|Murambi]] suburb, about two miles from the city centre, and around two kilometers away from the [[Mutare Museum]].<ref name=":0"></ref><ref name=":1">Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> The museum's street address is 11 Jason Moyo Drive, across the street from [[St. Dominic's High School (Zimbabwe)|St. Dominic's High School]].<ref name=":2">Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
== History ==
Utopia House was built in 1897 as the home of Rhys and Rosalie Fairbridge.<ref name=":1" /> Rhys Fairbridge, a [[White South Africans|white South African]], arrived in [[Manicaland Province|Manicaland]] in the early 1890s to work as a [[British South Africa Company]] surveyor.<ref name=":1" /> He surveyed the land now comprising the city of Mutare and surrounding areas.<ref name=":1" /> In 1897, he constructed a new home for him and his wife, named "Utopia" and built on one of the best sites he had come across while surveying.<ref name=":1" /> He first built the home's stone walls four feet tall, before temporarily stopping construction due to lack of funds as well as anticipation of the coming [[Wet season|rainy season]].<ref name=":1" /> He positioned supporting poles around the incomplete walls, filled in the gaps with [[Reed mat (craft)|reed mats]], and constructed a [[Thatching|thatched roof]] overhead.<ref name=":1" /> He later finished constructing the home using local materials, with the exception of [[corrugated iron]] roofing, doors, and windows, which he imported from [[South Africa]].<ref name=":1" /> It was the first "modern" or European-style house constructed in Mutare.<ref></ref>
== Description ==
Utopia House is a [[historic house museum]] and a [[National Monuments of Zimbabwe|National Monument of Zimbabwe]].<ref name=":2" /> It is under the care of the [[National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe]], and is curated by the staff of the [[Mutare Museum]].<ref name=":1" /> Utopia House and the Mutare Museum are the only two museums in Mutare, the fourth-largest city in Zimbabwe.<ref name=":1" />
The museum was restored to how it would have looked as a private home during the 1910–20 period.<ref name=":1" /> Many of the Fairbridges' original furniture and possessions were preserved and remain on display inside the home.<ref name=":1" /> Along with its collection of historical artifacts, the museum campus includes gardens and a theater.<ref name=":2" /> The Phoenix Theater holds periodic plays,<ref name=":0" /> while the gardens are home to a statue of Kingsley Ogilvie Fairbridge, a poet and educator and Rhys Fairbridge's son.<ref name=":2" /> The statue was unveiled on 8 July 1953 by [[Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother]] at the summit of [[Christmas Pass]], and was moved to the gardens of Utopia House in 1982.<ref name=":2" />
== See also ==
* [[List of museums in Zimbabwe]]
== References ==
[[Category:1897 establishments in Southern Rhodesia]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Manicaland Province]]
[[Category:Historic house museums]]
[[Category:Houses completed in 1897]]
[[Category:Museums in Zimbabwe]]
[[Category:Mutare]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Manicaland Province]]
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