 |
|
|
The Best Places to Experience Culture & History
Kenya National Museum (Nairobi; tel. 020/374-2131; www.museums.or.ke): A good place to learn about Kenya's history and culture, the museum has been closely linked since the 1960s to the work of archaeologist and anthropologist Dr. Louis Leakey, who made some key discoveries of human remains in East Africa. Permanent exhibitions cover Kenya's cultural and scientific history from pre-history to independence, and next door is a snake park. The museum closed in 2005 for major refurbishment but is expected to reopen in the second half of 2007.
Railway Museum (Nairobi; tel. 020/221-211): Located at Nairobi's railway station, this museum has an impressive collection of locomotives and rolling stock you can climb on to, and there are some historical photographs and relics from old trains that cover the history of rail in East Africa. Some of the trains make occasional excursions into the Rift Valley.
Karen Blixen Museum (Karen, Nairobi; tel. 020/882-779; www.karenblixen.com): Famous as the author of Out of Africa, this museum is housed in Karen Blixen's former farmhouse "Bogani," where she lived from 1914 to 1931. It's also where the movie starring Meryl Streep was filmed, and the rooms are decorated with both original furnishings and movie props. There's a lovely cafe set in her farm manager's house, with tables scattered on the pretty lawns.
Lamu Museum (Lamu Town; tel. 012/133-073): The architecture of Lamu is uniquely Swahili, with narrow streets, balconied buildings, intricately carved wooden doors, and numerous mosques. The Lamu Museum is housed in one of the town's most attractive buildings, once used by the British colonial government. Look for rooms decked out with Swahili furniture, and the upstairs display on Lamu's maritime history and dhow building.
Fort Jesus (Mombasa; tel. 041/312-839; www.museums.or.ke): Designed by an Italian architect in the 16th century for the early Portuguese colonists, and later added to and altered by the Oman Arabs and the British, Fort Jesus played a key role in the control of the coast over the centuries. A steep ramp leads to a central courtyard; you can climb the ramparts, and there's a museum and cafe.
Gedi Ruins (3km/2 miles north of Watamu on the coast): These are ruins from an early Swahili settlement thought to have been built in the 12th century but mysteriously abandoned by the 17th century. There are ruins of a palace, several large houses, and a mosque, and although no written information exists, it is presumed the townsfolk traded with visitors from all over the world, as Venetian beads and pieces of Chinese Ming vases have been found at the site. To date, the remains of 14 buildings have been excavated. Visitors can wander through the well-preserved streets, and there's an interesting museum with a cafe.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
|
|
|
