Description of the attraction
The National Museum of Grenada, at the corner of Young and Monckton Streets, opened its doors to the public on April 17, 1976. It was founded at the initiative of then Prime Minister Eric M. Gayri, by a group of foreigners and citizens with the aim of raising awareness among the public and tourists about the history, culture and heritage of Grenada. For many years, it was the only museum functioning in the country and remains the only one with the status of a national one.
The museum is housed in a building that has served as a French barracks since 1704 and was built on the foundations of Fort St. George. The building was used by the British as a prison for women until 1880. Later there were two hotels with different owners, some time later - the office of a recruiting agency.
Initially, the theme of the museum was archeology and history. Modern sections of the museum - Slavery, First settlers, Plantation economy, Whaling and fishing archaeological finds, Ancient transport and technology. The museum displays a variety of historical items, including artifacts from the Caribbean and Arawak tribes, sugar processing machines and whaling equipment, and Josephine Bonaparte's marble bathtub. The exposition consists of the remains of Indian pottery, ancient samples of rum. There is a small collection of antiques, plus petroglyphs of local fauna, documents and photographs from the first telegraph line installed in the city in 1871. There are also exhibits that tell about the events associated with the assassination of Maurice Bishop and the subsequent war and the storming of Grenada by US troops. It also covers political events prior to the 1980s.
