This data set includes overviews and videos depicting the surface evolution (time-lapse photographs, topography data and digital image correlation [DIC] analysis) of 6 analogue models simulating rotational rift tectonics. In these experiments we examined the links between rotational rifting and different distributions of lithospheric weaknesses, and the evolution of the East African Rift System. All experiments were performed at the Tectonic Modelling Laboratory of the University of Bern (UB). Detailed descriptions of the model set-up and results, as well as the monitoring techniques can be found in Zwaan et al. (2023).