Museums and galleries in Kingston

Museums and galleries in Kingston

1. See

   Arawak Museum

   Taino Museum

   A small museum with artifacts and information about the original inhabitants of the island, the Arawak (or Taino) Indians.

2. See

   Bob Marley Museum

   Filled with tons of memorabilia and Bob Marley's personal belongings, this museum was Bob Marley's recording studio and was his home until his death in 1981. The house is a preserved historical site; even the bullet holes from the attempted murder of Bob Marley remain. Every visitor will be added to a tour upon entry.

   Mon-Sat, tours last 1 hr, including a 20-min film. The first tour begins at 9:30AM and the last tour at 4PM·residents J$500, non-residents US$25 (credit cards accepted)

3. See

   Currency Museum

   Coin and Notes Museum

   In the Bank of Jamaica Building there's a museum showcasing the history of Jamaican money. There's a collection of old coins in banknotes on display.

   Mon–Fri 9AM–2PM

4. See

   National Gallery of Jamaica

   The museum features artwork by Jamaicans from throughout its history, from the native Taino Indians through the colonial period to works by modern artists. The gallery hosts its annual National Visual Arts Exhibition, which began in 1963 as a way to promote post-colonial art and to showcase the works of rising artists from Jamaica. Entrance fees are waved during the exhibition period.

   Tue-Thu 10AM-4:30PM, Fri 10AM-4PM, Sat 10AM-3PM·J$100, students and senior citizens over 65 may enter for J$50

5. See

   Port Royal

   Once known as the "Richest and wickedest city in the world", Port Royal was a notorious pirate haven in the 17th century. The most famous privateer (basically a pirate, but licensed by the British crown) who operated from Port Royal was Sir Henry Morgan who plundered Spanish vessels travelling in the Caribbean and even sacked Panama City. The city prospered as the pirates gathered riches, but a strong earthquake struck the area in 1692 sinking many ships in the harbour, killing many people, and leaving much of the city under the sea. Some claimed the quake was God's punishment for the evildoers of Port Royal. This disaster helped to establish Kingston as the new capital, and many of the survivors moved to Kingston. Although most of the buildings at the port today are not the original buildings, the walls of Fort Charles have been preserved since the rebuilding two years after the earthquake, Saint Peter's Church built in the early 18th century, and the ruins of Fort Rocky remain. There is also a museum to learn more about the history and see artifacts from its heyday. The site was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2025.

6. Eat

   Redbones Blues Cafe

   Jazz & Blues-themed Caribbean fusion cuisine restaurant & bar. Cultural watering hole with live music & art gallery.

7. See

   Trenchtown Culture Yard Museum

   In the southern corner of Kingston's most (in)famous neighbourhood there's a museum where you can learn about the district, and the musicians behind the style of music that was born there in the 1960s – reggae.

8. See Not mapped

   People's Museum of Craft and Technology

   A small museum with pottery, instruments, and farming tools used in Jamaica.

   J$D100

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Kingston (CC BY-SA 4.0).