Lamu Museum
TThis two storey house, which is now the museum, was originally used by the British colonial government. The building is of typical 18th century Swahili design and currently houses an unparalleled collection of ethnographic material from the Swahili, Orma and Pokomo ethnic groups. Of particular interest is the fascinating display of traditional Swahili craft, furniture and jewellery.
Visitors are welcome to the museum daily from 8am to 6pm. Admission is KSh100/200 for a non-resident child/adult, and KSh20/50 for a resident child/adult. A museum attendant is always available onsite.
Location
Lamu museum is located by the museum jetty in Lamu old town, Lamu district some 200
meters due north from the main jetty.
Historical Background
Lamu museum is the second largest building in Lamu, the largest being Lamu Fort. It has a two storey trapezoidal plan measuring 37.5 meters in length by 17.1 meters in width. The exterior walls have large windows, with ogee niches, and all the ground floor exterior doors have superbly carved frames and center posts, while the main door is further embellished with brass studs imported from 19th century Zanzibar.
It was built in 1891 by the Al-Busaidy family (who were the Liwali or the representative of the Sultan of Zanzibar). It was later used by senior British Colonial administrators before it became a District Commissioner's residence, whcih it remained until 1968. The building was then handed over to the National Museums of Kenya, before it was opened officially as a public museum in 1971.
Lamu museum exemplifies the finest characteristics of 19th century verandah style buildings. It sits gracefully in its position at the sea front and is a radical departure from the traditional stone house of the earlier period.