Best Museums to visit in St. Kitts and Nevis
Museums are a part of the cultural heritage at St. Kitts and Nevis. St. Kitts and Nevis also called St. Christopher and Nevis is a twin island Nation with St Kitts as the larger of the two islands. It is an independent commonwealth nation located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Ocean, a small nation with over 53,000 people. Of the two islands, St. Kitts is where you will find most activities. St. Kitts and Nevis is a dual-island Caribbean destination with crystal beaches and beautiful tropical landscapes. Blessed with diverse cultures, the Islands are home to Africans, British, Carib, and French influences.
English is the official language spoken here, and around half of the population is Anglican.
St. Kitts was the first English colony in the Caribbean, and The Bath Hotel, which was built in 1778, was Nevis First Hotel.
Also, the Cottle Church, the Caribbean’s first church, was established in 1824. Great Britain’s first Caribbean settlement in 1623, is known as present day St. Kitt and Nevis.
For an island with historical events spanning from first settlers to slavery which began during the age of the sugar industry, there would be a lot of artifacts to learn from. What better place to find these stories and artifacts than a museum?
St. Kitts and Nevis is home to a couple of museums, each delivering something unique and rich in information. Let us take a closer look at a few of them.
Nevisian Heritage Village
Located in a sugar plantation, Nevisian Heritage Village already creates an atmosphere of the island’s history as sugar plantations were tilled by African slaves in the 17th, 18th and 19th century. This Nevisian Heritage Village shows a timeline, through housing, of Nevisian social history. The houses date back from the Carib Indian era. It replicates Nevisian social history, from Carib times to present day, through a collection of recreated traditional structures, furnished with items to replicate the living conditions of historical Nevisians. It is almost as if you were in a time machine when visiting this magnificent museum. Definitely a must see.
Museum of Nevis history
Found on Charlestown’s waterfront, Saint Thomas Lowland Parish, is the Museum of Nevis history. Its location is just about 10-minute walk from midtown. Museum of Nevis History is open all through the week including Sundays and Saturdays. The museum’s modest collections, housed in a restored Georgian mansion, enlighten tourists and visitors about the United States founding father, Alexander Hamilton. This museum gives a form of introduction to visitors and provides information about the life of Hamilton as well as Nevis in general. Do not come to Nevis without being to this amazing and modest museum filled with rich relics.
National Museum St. Kitts
The National Museum is located in a building that used to be St. Kitts’ Treasury Building. St. Christopher National Trust is also housed in the same building. The museum is located in Saint George Basseterre Parish. It is a small museum, which provides board displays and exhibits to showcase the history of St Kitts and Nevis. It takes half an hour to view everything displayed over 3 centuries. The National Museum provides visitors with general historical knowledge about the island. This museum is the perfect place to start your exploration of the island. All showcases tell a story about the colonial history, the rise of the sugar industry and much more.
St. Christopher Heritage Society St. Kitts
This museum is a center for information on the historical and cultural heritage of St. Kitts. You can expect to see quite a lot, particularly a photography exhibition where events are relived through snapshots. This uniquely built museum is Located on Bay Road in the capital Basseterre. The Society has sought to look after much of the St. Kitts heritage. Display of historical information about the people of St. Kitts and the times of the colonial masters can be found. There is so much rich information that will wow any inquisitive tourist. You cannot miss a visit to this museum.
Eva Wilkin galleria at Gingerland
This former cotton mill estate which was refurbished is located in Gingerland, Nevis and was once the home of famous Nevisian artist Dame Eva Wilkin and also home to The Galleria which offers a range of products including prints and giclee’s by the “First Lady” of Nevisian art. Dame Eva Wilkin is commonly called the ‘First Lady” of Nevisian art. She was a very accomplished Caribbean artist and over time, her work has become quite valuable. Although she was trained in England, she lived in Nevis for half a century. Her paintings bordered around the Nevisian history and heritage. Pictures and paintings, they say, speak a thousand words.
Horatio Nelson Museum Nevis
Horatio Nelson Museum is located on the smaller island, Nevis and fixes its gaze on the life of Horatio Nelson, the British naval commander who got married to a local widow, Fanny Nisbet, in 1787 and died while leading the army of the victorious British at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. An ample collection of maps, paintings, documents, busts, vases, and other historical items help convey his story easily. Horatio Nelson Museum is a stone-throw from the famous Bath hotel, known to be the first hotel in the Caribbean, with breathtaking scenery of the town and sea.
I know, right? So many options to choose from. So, when in St. Kitts and Nevis, take out time and make one or all of these museums’ part of your to-go list. They are all rich with information and facts about the nation’s history. It will be time well spent.
Thinking about traveling to experience St. Kitts and Nevis in 2022? Be sure to check our Caribbean Travel Requirements COVID-19 updates for the latest requirements for travel to St. Kitts and Nevis as well as other Caribbean countries including Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago.
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