Historic visit to the National Museum of Kenya

Nairobi, Kenya's bustling capital, is increasingly attracting safari travellers from all over the country. Indeed, the country is home to some sumptuous and iconic national parks, renowned the world over for their outstanding beauty and biodiversity. However, few tourists used to linger in Nairobi, barely recovering from jet lag before heading off in search of the wilderness.

In recent years, however, more and more tourists have come to the city in search of authenticity and Kenyan culture, far removed from the luxury lodges and camps of the arid plains of the nature reserves. Nairobi, with a population of no less than 4.5 million, attracts travellers who discover this metropolis from a different angle. The outskirts of the city focus on animal attractions, while the city centre offers more cultural visits. And what better way to learn more about the country than to visit the National Museum of Kenya?

In 1910, a group of Britons built a natural history museum on the site of what is now Nyayo House in Nairobi (Nyayo House is a skyscraper housing several government departments). The museum was dedicated to preserving the collections of East Africa and Uganda Natural History.

Over the years, the founders were unable to extend the walls any further, as the collections became too large for the building's surface area. So they moved to the museum's current location, which is larger and more spacious. The colonial government of the time then undertook work to create a building dedicated to the museum.

The doors of the Nairobi National Museum opened on 22 September 1930. They established the museum's motto as A place of discovery. The establishment was named the Coryndon Museum in honour of Robert Coryndon, former governor of Uganda and then Kenya.

In spite of itself, the museum bears witness to its heavy colonial past. In 1941, Louis Leakey, a Kenyan and British palaeontologist, became the museum's curator. It was only under his impetus that the doors of the museum were finally opened to Kenyans in 1945, who have free access.

In 1958, a temporary exhibition on snakes was organised at the entrance to the museum. This exhibition was so popular with visitors that it was eventually made permanent. As the main building could not accommodate an extra room, a new building had to be constructed adjacent to the museum on a plot of almost 15 hectares to house the new section dedicated to snakes and reptiles. In 1961, a snake park and botanical garden were added to the museum.

In 1960, the independence of Uganda and Kenya was on the horizon. In anticipation of this good news, the museum, then dedicated to Kenya AND Uganda, was split into two: the National Museums of Kenya (NMK) and the Uganda Museums and Monuments (UMN). Uganda declared independence in 1962, while Kenya had to wait until December 1963.

The end of the 1990s marked a turning point for the museum, which received European grants worth 800 million Kenyan shillings (6 million euros). This money was used to improve and extend the buildings. But it was not until the 200s that the work was finally completed.

As you can see, the museum is full of treasures for history lovers. It has an extensive permanent collection combining history, culture and works of art. It's a must-see for anyone with even the slightest interest in the country.

Travellers curious to learn more about Kenya's rich heritage will be delighted by this visit, which combines artefacts, history, culture, a nature trail dedicated to snakes, as well as a botanical garden and a collection of outdoor sculptures. You can also hire the services of a guide for a 2-hour walk through the aisles of this splendid museum, which traces the history of Kenya, the cradle of humanity.