The Nairobi museum is a favourite spot for families and school going children to discover about their history. The National Museums of Kenya has reviewed its rates for museums, sites and monuments with effect from May 1, 2013. Photo/Emma Nzioka
What you need to know:
This means Kenyan adults and children will now pay Sh200 and Sh100 respectively up from the previous Sh100 and Sh50 to enter the Nairobi National Museum.
Tourists from East Africa will pay Sh600 (adults) while children pay Sh400 from Sh400 and Sh200 respectively.
Visitors from outside East Africa will access the facilities at Sh1,200 for adults and Sh600 for children, a climb from Sh800 and Sh400 in that order. In the past four years, the government has reduced annual allocations to the National Museums.
National Museums of Kenya has reviewed its rates for museums, sites and monuments with effect from May 1, citing increased expenses in upgrading these facilities.
In the new arrangement, the entry fee for domestic tourists will rise by 100 per cent while that of foreign tourists by 50 per cent.
This means Kenyan adults and children will now pay Sh200 and Sh100 respectively up from the previous Sh100 and Sh50 to enter the Nairobi National Museum.
Tourists from East Africa will pay Sh600 (adults) while children pay Sh400 from Sh400 and Sh200 respectively.
Visitors from outside East Africa will access the facilities at Sh1,200 for adults and Sh600 for children, a climb from Sh800 and Sh400 in that order. In the past four years, the government has reduced annual allocations to the National Museums.
Marketing manager Sharon Kyungu said the changes were necessary in bridging the rising operational costs compounded by expenses like high power bills.
“We have embarked on stocking our galleries with more artifacts and have revamped our facilities across the country. It is only natural that our rates should reflect these changes,” Ms Kyungu told the Business Daily.
The State corporation got a grant of Sh800 million from the European Union for refurbishment of the facilities.
Ms Kyungu said renovation of the Karen Blixen Museum was complete and will open its doors on April 22.
The other over 20 museums across the country are also under renovation.
World heritage
National Museums says the upgrade was an occasion of increased competition from another State agency Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), who are the custodians of the wildlife. Rivalry is also coming from private galleries, which prompted NMK to adopt new strategies in the search for increased earnings.
Ms Kyungu said the National Museums had signed agreements with the Kenya Tourism Board, the marketer of Kenya as a destination, to extensively sell their products.
The corporation also plans to invest more in the preservation of artifacts at the Fort Jesus Museum which got Unesco recognition as a world heritage site in 2011.
