The National Museums of Kenya (NMK) is a multi-disciplinary institution whose role is to collect, preserve, study, document and present Kenya’s past and present cultural and natural heritage. This is to enhance knowledge, appreciation, respect and sustainable utilization of these resources for the benefit of Kenya and the world, for now, and posterity.
NMK manages several regional museums, sites and monuments of national and international importance. NMK also holds priceless collections of Kenya’s living cultural and natural heritage.
Let’s take a look at five of the museums;
# 1 Nairobi National Museum
Built-in 1929, Nairobi National Museum is the flagship museum of NMK, housing celebrated collections of Kenya’s history, nature, culture and contemporary art.
# 2 Nairobi Gallery
Established in 1913, Nairobi Gallery was the Old PC’s office building, fondly referred to as ‘Hatches, Matches and Dispatches’ because of the births, marriages and deaths that were recorded there. Today, the building is a national monument, serves as a museum with temporary art exhibitions, and houses the Murumbi African Heritage Collection. The gallery was gazetted as a national monument on 13th April 1995.
# 3 Karen Blixen Museum
The Karen Blixen Museum was once the centrepiece of a farm at the foot of the Ngong Hills, owned by Danish author Karen Blixen and her Swedish husband, Baron Bror von Blixen Fincke. Located 10 km from the city centre, the museum belongs to a different time in the history of Kenya. The National Museums of Kenya took over management of the house in 1985 and it was officially opened as a museum in 1986.
# 4 Uhuru Gardens National Monument
Located along Langata road, a 15-minute drive from Nairobi city centre, is Uhuru Gardens, Kenya’s largest Memorial Park. ‘Uhuru’ is a Swahili word meaning freedom. The gardens were officially declared a National Monument in 1966 because of their historical importance. Within the gardens are a Mugumo (fig) tree and two monuments commemorating Kenya’s independence.
# 5 Nyeri Museum
Nyeri Museum is a national monument which was once used as a ‘Native law court’. It was built in 1924 and started functioning in 1925. Its main objective was to deal with customary law cases, previously dealt with by clan elders in the villages. As these cases increased, one courtroom could not handle the volume and thus another hall was built. The cases were divided among the two courts, with the first court dealing with civil cases like pregnancy and debtor cases, and the second one dealing with criminal cases like theft and murder. Nyeri Museum was gazetted as a national property on 9th March 2001.
Source: Google Arts and Culture
