The Lamu Museum in Lamu, Kenya.

© Roy Gilham/Getty Images/iStock

Lamu Museum

Top choice in Lamu Island


The best museum in town (and the second best in Kenya) is housed in a grand Swahili warehouse on the waterfront. This is as good a gateway as you’ll get into Swahili culture and that of the archipelago in particular. Exhibitions focus on boat-building, domestic life and weddings, the intricate door carvings that you're likely to encounter (from Swahili and Omani to Kijumwa, Swabu and Bajun) and traditional silver jewellery. Don't miss the ceremonial siwa (side-blow) horns of ivory and brass.

Of note are the photographic displays of traditional women’s dress – those who consider the bui-bui (black cover-all worn by some Islamic women outside the home) restrictive might be interested to see the shiraa, a tent-like garment (complete with wooden frame to be held over the head) that was once the respectable dress of local ladies. There are also exhibits dedicated to artefacts from Swahili ruins, the nautical heritage of the coast (including the mtepe, a traditional coir-sewn boat meant to resemble the Prophet Mohammed’s camel – hence the nickname, ‘camels of the sea’) and the three tribes that inhabit the northeast of Kenya: the Pokomo fishermen from the Tana River delta, the Boni hunters that reside near the Somalian border and the Maasai-like Orma, famous for their animal husbandry. Guides are available to show you around for a tip.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Lamu Island attractions

1. Donkey Sanctuary

0.07 MILES

A man without a donkey is a donkey, claims one Swahili proverb. Or, as the staff of this sanctuary might tell you, a man who doesn’t look after his donkey…

2. Swahili House

0.11 MILES

This preserved 16th-century Swahili house, tucked away to the side of Yumbe Guest House, in a tranquil courtyard with a well, is beautiful. The entry fee…

3. Lamu Fort

0.13 MILES

This squat castle was built by the Sultan of Paté between 1810 and 1823. From 1910 right up to 1984 it was used as a prison. It now houses the island’s…

4. Lamu Market

0.15 MILES

Atmospheric and somewhat chaotic, this quintessential Lamu market is best visited early in the morning. Bargain for fresh tuna and sailfish, wade through…

5. German Post Office Museum

0.18 MILES

In the late 1800s, before the British decided to nip German expansion into Tanganyika in the bud, the Germans regarded Lamu as an ideal base from which to…

6. Shela Beach

2.37 MILES

Most people are here for the beach – a 12km-long, wide sweep of pristine white sand where you’re guaranteed an isolated spot (at least if you’re…

7. Matondoni

4.19 MILES

The best place to see dhows being built is the village of Matondoni, in the island's northwest. It’s a peaceful little fishing village that receives few…

8. Takwa Ruins

4.43 MILES

What sets these ruins, the remains of a city that existed between the 15th and 17th centuries, apart from other archaeological sites on the coast? Quiet…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "kenya/the-coast/lamu/attractions/lamu-museum/a/poi-sig/438268/355337",
      "destination": "Lamu-Island",
      "continent": "Africa",
      "country": "Kenya",
      "region": "Lamu-Island",
      "position": "superzone"
    }