For tourists who may be interested in Kenya’s history, the Kenya National Archives is a fantastic place to visit. There are a number of archives in Kenya, but the Kenya National Archives is the central headquarters. The premises is found in Nairobi’s CBD, between Moi Avenue and Tom Mboya street and is housed in a strongly built and secure 3 storey building, which was originally a bank. There is ample parking space around the building. The Kenya National Archives is a government department which falls under the Ministry of National Heritage. These institutions hold important documents that have been significant in Kenya’s administration, history, politics, education, private sector and other functions. It acts as a solidified memory of Kenya.

On the first and second floors, there are galleries that display various items. There is a section that displays explicitly Kenyan history, showing photos regarding previous administrations in Kenya, starting with the Colonial government, and subsequent post independent governments. There is a seat on display which the first Kenyan president used to sit on. Other photos show Kenya’s former governors, under the British rule. There are pictures of freedom fighters, such as the central highland MauMau fighters, Rift valley’s Nandi resistance, Mekatilili Wa Menza from the coast and others. There are also stories of prophets who foresaw the coming of the white man. Another section shows the cultural practices of various Kenyan communities. These show medicine men, rainmakers, priests and so on. There are ornaments won by Kenyan communities, clothing, musical instruments, artifacts, architectural designs and so on.

The archives are stored in the second floor. They are properly categorized, indexed and labeled. These records date back from the early colonial periods. They are in volumes. Newspapers dating back from early 1900 are also preserved here. On the first floor, there is a study area where researchers or people who have requested certain records study. It is equipped with a number of computers to help search for records by the use of keywords. One can pay on a daily basis, but membership is offered, upon payment of a monthly fee. On the Basement, there is the digitization section, which is involved with digitizing the record, for secure preservation in an electronic format.

At the Archives of Kenya, there is also a conference room where workshops, seminar, conferences and other corporate events can be held. The room is up to standards and has facilities such as internet connectivity, projectors and so on. Near the Archives building, there is the monument of Tom Mboya, who was a prominent politician in the post independent government.

This would be a nice place to visit while on a Nairobi excursion Other activities to enjoy while in Kenya include Masai Mara safari, family safari, beach holidays, Mountain climbing and so on.