Explore the Home of Barbadian Heritage and Culture at the Barbados Museum & Historical Society

Located in Barbados' UNESCO World Heritage Property of Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison, the galleries of the Barbados Museum & Historical Society are housed in 19th-century military prison buildings and reveal the island's rich natural, social and military history.

With extensive galleries and a dedicated Library, the Barbados Museum & Historical Society is not only the foremost authority on the historical record of Barbados, but also an educator and a champion of the cultural heritage of our island.

Browse the Exhibitions and Galleries or visit the Jairus Brewster Children’s Gallery and watch as history comes to life once more through the artefacts on display.

With over 200 years of history steeped into the walls, even the building tells a story! When you enter the gates of the Barbados Museum & Historical Society, you will find yourself traversing a former British Military Prison that is now the island’s leading museum, nestled in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison.

With a mandate to collect, document and conserve evidence of Barbados’ cultural, historical and environmental heritage; and to interpret and present this evidence for all of society, the BMHS pursues a vision to be the premier institution for dynamic cultural and heritage experiences. 

This is done through the collection of artefacts, documents, and the formulation of interactive experiences, all designed to engage the visitor in the history of Barbados, while imparting knowledge to those who venture in.

With 7 on-site galleries showcasing many of the items, there is plenty to engage the visitor, including a children's' museum. Other locations, also operated but BHMS, house further exploration opportunities.

Organized guided or self-guided tours are available both within the main Garrison area and other satellite locations.

On-Site Galleries:

• African Gallery - geography, history, and heritage of Africa and its legacy in the creation of Caribbean society
• Cunard Gallery - displays a wide variety of fine art paintings and prints depicting Barbados and the wider Caribbean
• Harewood Gallery - a colourful gallery of the flora and fauna of Barbados
• Jairus Brewster Children’s Gallery - dynamic gallery engaging with technological and interactive exhibits offers many opportunities for children to understand the world around them through a Barbadian lens by appealing to their senses and even lend to the development of their motor skills
• Jubilee Gallery - traces the pre-historic and historic development of Barbados up to the 1940s
• Military Gallery - pays homage to the history of the Garrison and showcases the historical development of the armed forces in Barbados from the 17th century until the end of World War II
• Warmington Gallery - 4 period rooms recreate the colonial lifestyle of the planter class

Military

Children's

Africa

Objects and Artefacts cover:

• Fine Art 
• Social History 
• Natural History 
• Numismatic & Freemason History 

Natural History

Social History

Documentary Collections:

• Campbell Notebooks 
• Journal of the Barbados Museum & Historical Society 
• Lascelles Slavery Archive 
• Library Collection 
• Rare Books 
• Shilstone Notebooks 
• The Bajan and New Bajan Magazine 
• Westbury Cemetery Records 

Visit Barbados Museum & Historical Society

Other Locations:

• Gun Hill Signal Station - Military History
• Cricket Legends of Barbados - objects, and documents related to the history of West Indian Cricket
• Concorde Experience (temporarily closed) - Concord and other areas of Barbados’ aviation history
• Foursquare Folk Museum (temporarily closed) - A collection of folk and Barbadiana artefacts