National Museum of St Kitts

The National Museum

c/o the St. Christopher Heritage Society

PO Box 888

Bay Road

Basseterre,

St. Kitts

Tel/Fax: (869)465-5584

Email: schs@sisterisles.kn

Visitor Information:

Hours of Operation: Mon-Fri: 9am-5pm; Saturdays: 9am-1pm

Admission Fee: $2.00 US or $5.00 EC (children 12 years of age and younger are free)

The National Museum of St. Kitts is located in the restored historic Treasury Building on the Bay Road in the heart of Basseterre. This Georgian building has served as the gateway to the city for over one hundred years and is one of the many heritage sites to be explored in the capital city.

The National Museum came into being with the signing of an agreement between the St. Christopher Heritage Society (SCHS) and the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis in 1999. Since then, the museum has been managed as a project of the Heritage Society through a Museum Committee which comprises an equal number of SCHS and Government appointed representatives. The museum officially opened its doors to the public in June of 2002.

The National Museum is committed to the accumulation of a collection, including the repatriation of objects and documents of the country’s heritage, and to the proper management, conservation and presentation of this collection, so as to:

• Explore the interaction between the people and environment of the country, and the relationship of the people and environment with the Caribbean and the rest of the world

• Provide a resource of the country’s history and culture

• Cultivate among its citizens a deeper awareness of the heritage of the country, and promote among visitors an informed appreciation of the country and its people

Visitors to the museum take a journey through time as they explore the history of the St. Kitts. This story incorporates the pre-Columbian period, the introduction and development of the 350 year old sugar industry and the institution of slavery that supported it, African cultural retentions of the island (including the folkloric aspects of Carnival), and the eventual Independence of the island from Great Britain in 1983. The National Museum’s diverse collection contains many fascinating pieces such as: natural history objects; Amerindian pottery and tools; clay pipes, firearms, and cannonballs from the Colonial period; cutlasses and other objects associated with the Sugar Industry; and a series of historical maps of the island. Visitors can also see examples of the country’s National Dress and learn about the other various national symbols of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis.