Things to Do at Nairobi National Museum

The Nairobi National Museum is actually Kenya's flagship museum and one of the most comprehensive cultural institutions in East Africa. Established in 1910, it's housed in an impressive colonial-era building that's been modernized over the years, though it still retains that classic museum feel with high ceilings and marble floors. You'll find yourself wandering through galleries that tell the story of Kenya from prehistoric times to the present day, with everything from ancient fossils to contemporary art. What makes this place genuinely interesting is how it manages to weave together natural history, archaeology, and cultural heritage in a way that actually makes sense. The museum tends to be surprisingly engaging - you might expect dusty displays, but the exhibitions are well-curated and thoughtfully presented. It's the kind of place where you'll stumble across a 1.8-million-year-old skull one minute and traditional Maasai artifacts the next, giving you a real sense of Kenya's incredible depth of history and cultural diversity.

The museum is located on Museum Hill Road, just off Uhuru Highway, making it pretty accessible from most parts of Nairobi. If you're taking a matatu (shared taxi), look for ones heading to Museum Hill or ask to be dropped at the National Museum stop. Uber and regular taxis know the location well - it's about a 15-20 minute ride from the city center, depending on traffic. There's decent parking if you're driving yourself, though the entrance can be a bit tricky to spot from the main road. The museum is actually within walking distance of the Snake Park and Nairobi Railway Museum if you're planning to visit multiple attractions.