Showing 1-15 of 15 results
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American Embassy Memorial Garden
The well-tended walled American Embassy Memorial Garden occupies the former site of the American Embassy, which was destroyed by the terrorist bombings of 1998. It's a lovely little spot despite being right between Moi and Haile Selassie Aves; the entrance fee pays for maintenance and keeps out any undesirables, but also puts it beyond the reach of many ordinary Kenyans, provoking some understandable anger among locals.
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Gallery Watatu
Of the private galleries, the longest established is the central Gallery Watatu, which has regular exhibitions and a good permanent display.
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Go-Down Arts Centre
The Go-Down Arts Centre, a converted warehouse in the Industrial Area, contains ten separate art studios and is rapidly becoming a hub for Nairobi's burgeoning arts scene, bringing together visual and performing arts with regular exhibitions, shows, workshops and open cultural nights.
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Jamia Mosque
Nairobi's Jamia Mosque is a lovely building in typical Arabic Muslim style, with all the domes, marble and Quranic inscriptions you'd expect from an important Islamic site, and the traditional row of shops down one side to provide rental income for its upkeep. Sadly non-Muslims are very rarely allowed to enter, but you can happily examine the appealing exterior from the street.
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Karen Blixen's House and Museum
This charming farmhouse is where Karen Blixen, author of the popular novel Out of Africa , lived from 1914 to 1931. She left after a series of personal tragedies, but the lovely colonial house has been preserved as a museum. It was presented to the Kenyan government at independence by the Danish government along with the adjacent agricultural college.
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Kenyetta Conference Centre
Towering over City Square, Nairobi's signature building the Kenyetta Conference Centre was designed as a fusion of modern and traditional African styles, though the distinctive saucer tower looks a little dated next to some of the city's flashier glass edifices.
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Langata Giraffe Centre
The Langata Giraffe Centre, run by the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife, is a sanctuary for the rare Rothschilds giraffe. Here you can observe, hand-feed or even kiss the giraffes from a raised circular wooden structure, and it is quite an experience. It's a good place to get the close-up photographs that eluded you on safari.
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Nairobi National Park
A visit to Nairobi National Park, a few kilometres from the city centre, is a great way to fill in a few hours before you catch a plane. There's plentiful wildlife, including most of the plains animals (except elephants), against the bizarre backdrop of Nairobi skyscrapers. The headquarters of the KWS are at the main gate. The 'Park Shuttle' is a KWS bus that leaves the main gate at Sunday for a 2½-hour tour of the park.
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National Archives
The National Archives live in the former Bank of India building right in the bustling heart of Nairobi. It is a vast collection of documents and reference material. The ground-floor atrium and gallery display an eclectic selection of contemporary art, historical photos of Nairobi, cultural artefacts, furniture and tribal objects.
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National Museum
Kenya's National Museum is an imposing building amid lush leafy grounds just outside the city centre. It has a good range of cultural, geological and natural-history exhibits. Volunteer guides offer tours in English, Dutch and French. The 1st floor contains excellent contemporary East African art; as all the items are for sale the displays change regularly.
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Parliament House
If you fancy a look at how democracy works in Kenya, it's possible to obtain a permit for a seat in the public gallery at Parliament House - just remember, applause is strictly forbidden! If parliament is out of session, you can tour the buildings by arrangement with the sergeant-at-arms.
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Railway Museum
This interesting little museum displays relics from the East African Railway. There are train and ship models, photographs, tableware and oddities from the history of the railway. One such is the Engine Seat that allowed visiting dignitaries like Theodore Roosevelt to take pot shots at unsuspecting wildlife from the front of the train.
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Ramoma Rahimtulla Museum of Modern Art
In Upper Hill, the impressive-sounding Ramoma Rahimtulla Museum of Modern Art is actually a small gallery in a large skyscraper, promoting and selling work by Kenyan artists.
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Snake Park
In the grounds of the National Museum, there's a recreated Kikuyu homestead and a Snake Park, where you can see black mambas, some sad-looking crocodiles and giant dudus (creepy crawlies). The guided nature trail nearby isn't particularly exciting, being so close to two main roads.
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Village Market
The beautifully conceived Village Market shopping centre has a selection of entertainment activities to while away an afternoon, including the Nu Metro cinema, a bowling alley, pool hall, water slides, mini golf and a children's playground complete with toy-car rides and a mini-train circuit.
Showing 1-15 of 15 results
