Nairobi Art Gallery Entry Fees

In this article, we will focus on Nairobi Gallery Entrance Fees. The Nairobi Gallery is located at the intersection of Kenyatta Avenue and Uhuru Highway roundabout next to Nyayo House. The building is situated at Kenya’s point zero, from which distances to all corners of the country, the continent and the world were measured.

The historic building in which it is housed was built in 1913 and was the Old PC’s office building, affectionately known as “Hatches, Matches, and Dispatches” due to the births, marriages, and deaths recorded there. It is now a museum with a permanent collection based on the Murumbi African Heritage collection, which includes ancient sculptures, paintings, and everyday artefacts from various African cultures. These were gathered by Joseph and Sheila Murumbi, whose biographies can also be found in one of the galleries. In addition, the museum hosts exhibitions by both local and international artists.

Nairobi Gallery Key Attractions

1. Architectural Design
The Nairobi Gallery is an example of Victorian architecture, the exterior of the building is decorated with columns, niches, friezes and pediments of natural stone. The original entrance leads from the roundabout into an octagonal dome hall (point zero) covered with a beautiful dome. The surrounding rooms extend from the central space and are divided into two wings, the walls have a smooth line plaster finish, windows and doors are made of teak wood, and some ceilings have patterns.

2. Point Zero
The original entrance of the building leads to a point zero location from where all the distances to all corners of the country are measured. (The black spot at the Centre is point zero.)

3. Colonial Safes
The Nairobi Gallery has two old safes that were used by the colonial government and have never been opened since they left.

4. The Murumbi African Heritage Collections
Joseph and Sheila Murumbi were Africa’s greatest private collectors of artefacts, art pieces, books, jewellery, postal stamps, textiles and furniture, which are today on display at the Nairobi Gallery. Their mission was to preserve, protect and promote African culture in all its forms. The Murumbi African Heritage Collection exhibition at the Nairobi Gallery has been displayed in different galleries with different storylines; a collection of books, textiles and costumes, jewellery, African artefacts, the Murumbi home; and finally, the pan-African postage stamp collection, said to be next to the queen of England in importance.

5. Pioneer Art Gallery
The National Museums of Kenya endeavour to promote artists through the display of their artwork and an art space within this building has been dedicated to this cause. Temporary Art exhibitions by both pioneer and upcoming artists from within and outside of Kenya are held every three months in this space. Photos of some of the pioneer African artists who started their art career in the 1960s despite all the odds are also on display. Some of these artists are Magdalene Odondo, Elkana Ongesa, Jack Katarikawe, Richard Onyango, John Ondochameny, Francis Nnaggenda, Sanaa Gateja, Accent Soi, Geraldine Roberts, NaniCroze, and Yony Waite.

Nairobi Gallery Entry Fees

Citizen – Kenya	Charges
Adult	Ksh 150
Below 16 years	Ksh 100
Residents – East Africa	Charges
Adult	Ksh 600
Below 16 years	Ksh 400

Non-Residents	Charges
Adult	Ksh 1000
Below 16 years	Ksh 600

Nairobi Gallery Opening Hours

The gallery opens from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm daily, including Saturday and Sunday and public holidays.

Nairobi Gallery Contact

Curator Betty Karanja
Phone: +254721309576
Email: bekaranja@gmail.com