Kenya - Libraries and museums



The Kenya National Library Service, founded in 1967 and located in Nairobi, maintains 15 branches and has 650,000 volumes. The largest public library is the McMillan Memorial Library, formerly a private institution, which was taken over by the Nairobi City Council in 1962; it contained 275,000 volumes in 2002, including a collection of Africana, and had two branches. The libraries of the University of Nairobi, with 500,000 volumes, are the best supported in Kenya. Kenyatta University in Nairobi has 166,000 volumes. The British Council maintains three branch libraries, and the National Archives in Nairobi holds 40,000 volumes.

The National Museum in Nairobi and the Ft. Jesus Museum in Mombasa are the largest in Kenya. There are numerous local museums, including the Kiriandusi Prehistoric Site in Gilgil, founded in 1928, the Gedi Ruins Museum south of Malindi, and museums in Kabarnet, Lamu, Meru, Narak, and Olergesailie. The Kapenguria Museum, opened in 1993, details Kenya's political development and struggle for independence.

Also read article about Kenya from Wikipedia

User Contributions:

1
Alex Kimani Mwangi
thanks for the info. it has really been helpful. Is Macmillan memorial library well equipped with books on investments? e.g how to invest in shares for dummies.
2
Elvis Agesa
Kindly update me and those who it may concern whether Macmillan libraries is now days open for public use.
The last information i had is that it had closed for renovation Early last year 2012.

Thank you for continued support.
Sincerely ;
Elvis
3
Gideon chirande
thank you for giving accebility to kenya national archives.
4
Diana Fortescue
I am researching the Colonial Secretariat in Nairobi late 1949 to early 1952 when my father, Tim Fortescue served as Clerk to the Counsels. I have a photograph of our family house ( a wooden house on stilts) presumably a Colonial governement property, and would like to know where in Nairobi this is likely to be.

I also have a photograph of me as a four year old bridesmaid taken by the famous Kenya photographer, Arthur Firmin (1912-1957) and am very interested in discovering whose wedding it was. I think the bride's first name was Hazel and the wedding must have taken place in late 1951. Do you hod newspaper archives of that period?

Finally, my family flew out to Nairobi from the UK in late 1949 by flying boat. Do you hold any archives about that flying boat service including passenger lists?

I look forward to hearing from you,

Diana Fortescue
5
Bariso chari
Good job as a young writer and filmaker I would want to work with you

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