About
The Malindi Museum sits on Lamu Road in Malindi, a town on Kenya's coast in Kilifi County. It is a cultural museum, housed in a historic building, and its collection focuses on two threads that run through this stretch of the Indian Ocean: maritime history and Swahili culture.
What the visit offers
Coastal Kenya has long been shaped by seafaring and by the Swahili communities that grew up along the shore, and the museum is devoted to telling that story. For a visitor, it is a useful place to begin before exploring the coast, since it sets the local history and daily culture of the region in context.
- Maritime history of the Malindi coast and the sea routes that connected it to the wider world.
- Swahili culture of the coastal region, presented in a building that is itself part of the town's heritage.
- A compact visit, well suited to a break in a day spent around town or on the beaches.
Getting there and planning
The museum is on Lamu Road, so it is easy to reach from the centre of Malindi. Because the facts available here do not list opening hours or entry costs, it is worth checking directly before you set out. The museum can be reached by telephone on +254 42 31043.
The area around it
Malindi is a coastal town, and the museum pairs well with time spent by the sea and in the streets of the old town. Visitors interested in the coast's history may find that the museum adds meaning to what they see around them, from the harbour and the beaches to the everyday life of the town.