Grenada National Museum
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  Grenada National Museum | |
| Established | 1976 |
|---|---|
| Location | Monckton Street, St. George's, Grenada |
| Coordinates | 12°03′02″N 61°45′10″W / 12.050576°N 61.752655°W |
| Type | Amerindian, African, and European History in Grenada |
| Website | museum |
The Grenada National Museum is a museum in St. George's, Grenada. It is housed in a complex of several buildings, the oldest of which may have served as a French barracks from 1704. Parts of it were used by the adjacent prison until the 1850s, when the land was sold and the Home Hotel was built.[1] It remained a hotel (and briefly, a warehouse in the 1940s) under several owners until closing in the early 1960s. In 1976, the Gairy government donated part of the complex for use as a museum of archaeology and history. Topics on display include Amerindians/Precolonial, the European Invasion, African Slavery, Plantation Economy, the former whaling industry, and colonial-era equipment and artifacts, including several items and a bathtub purportedly used by Josephine Bonaparte.
The museum is housed in a building located at the corner of Young and Monckton streets. It served as a military barracks for the French army in 1704. It then became the island's first hotel.[2][3] Two other different hotels under different owners followed, and at one point was used as a warehouse by a merchant working in St. George's..[4]
The museum was established in 1976 by private citizens who organized as the country's historical society.[5] The theme is archaeology and history.[6] With donations received from the Republic Bank, the museum is slated to improve the quality of exhibits related to Amerindian culture and history and of the European takeover.[7]
Collections and displays
The GNM has been closed since the COVID-19 pandemic.[8] Prior exhibits included "Slavery, First Inhabitants, Plantation Economy, Whaling & Fishing Archaeology, and Early Transport & Technology".[4] The native Grenadian culture is well represented.[2] The exhibits in the museum cover history from the Ciboneys (native Indian culture of Grenada[9]) to the colonial period.[10]
Displays consist of remnants of pottery finds of the Amerindians, an ancient rum still, and the marble bathtub used by Empress Josephine when she was a child.[11] There are exhibits of events related to the assassination of Maurice Bishop and the war that resulted as a result of storming of Grenada by the US.[3] Apart from cultural history the exhibits also cover political events till the 1980s.[12] Though small, there are exhibits of antiquaries from the archaeological excavations, including ceramics, plus petroglyphs of native fauna, and the first telegraph line installed in the city in 1871.[2][9] Also of note are Kalinago, Yoruba,[5] and Arawak artifacts, sugar processing machines and equipment, and whaling industry items.[4] Proclamations, photos, and news items chronicle events such as the Invasion of Grenada.[11] Exhibits are also provided by children from local schools.[5]
