The Institute of Jamaica is the nation’s small-scale equivalent of the British Museum or Smithsonian, housed in three separate buildings. The institute hosts permanent and visiting exhibitions. Buy your ticket at the Natural History Museum , accessed by a separate entrance around the corner on Tower St.
Downstairs there is small exhibition on natural history and agriculture, while upstairs holds a temporary exhibition space.The small but informative Museum of Music on the top floor displays traditional musical instruments and traces the history and development of Jamaica’s music, from kumina, mento and ska to reggae and dancehall. Next door, the Africa Collection features weapons, carvings and some exquisite craftwork from various African countries.
The temporary exhibitions are often the best, so check online for details. Recent highlights have included ‘Jamaica 50’ about independence, ‘Historic Rastafari’ and ‘Reggae and Social Change.’
The central building also holds the National Library , which incorporates the Caribbean’s largest repository of books, maps, charts and documents on West Indian history.
