Nairobi Railway Museum
The Nairobi Railway Museum was started in 1971 by the East African Railways and Harbors, which is operated by the Kenya Railways Corporation. It is the only one of its kind in East and Central Africa.
Nairobi Railway Museum is a must-go during your Kenya tour for every Kenyan and those visiting, because it catalogues the growth of the Kenya-Uganda Railways. Displaying all the locomotives that were used back in the day, from hand-pushed trains to steam and diesel locomotives. Therefore, add this to your Kenya bucket list.
The story of the construction of the famous railway from coastal Kenya, Mombasa, to Kisumu at the shores of Lake Victoria. All this is found in the Nairobi Railway Museum, including some of the claws of the Man-Eater Lions and other visually engrossing artifacts.
The most amazing and fascinating story of the Man-Eaters of Tsavo is better told by one, John Henry Patterson, on how he managed to kill this fierce and ferocious pair of serial killer lions widely known as the Man-Eaters of Tsavo, get the book from Amazon or the movie, The Ghost and the Darkness. It is during this era that the railway started in Kenya, from 1886 to 1901.
Nairobi Railway Museum Entrance.
The welcoming graffiti clearing with the security check at the gate is startling and perplexing, to say the least though it was dusty a while back, now it has tarmac and a paved sidewalk. the fine art will keep you company, as on your right side you can have a snippet of what you are about to consume. The old locomotives, the distance from the gate to the office is abit far you will hardly notice since you will be in a bewildered stupor.
Here you can be welcomed by the signboards reading the Nairobi Railway Museum and daunting writings saying “No taking photos.”
Rooms of the Nairobi National Museum.
Nairobi National Museum has got four rooms, as they include the following:
The first room at the Nairobi National Museum.
The first room has a display ranging from a track inspector bicycle to a part from the bike, there are photographs from back then late 1800s and early 1900s survey maps that they used and other engrossing Memorabilia from back then all related to the railway in Kenya.
The second room at the Nairobi National Museum.
The second room is rather small and brief; it can be called the communication room since there are pictures and those tangible communication tools like the bells and phones. The Signaling lambs and torches, the ship’s steering wheel, and back then life jackets, which look cool in the orange colour, there is also the early typewriter and an old manual calculator, which was used in the chief accountant’s office from 1926 to 1930.
The third room at the Nairobi National Museum.
This room is for the water transport and ships affiliated with Kenya, all the models and a piece of detailed information about the German cruiser Konigsberg, which was sunk during World War 1 by the British.
The fourth room at the Nairobi Railway Museum.
The fourth is the final room of the museum before you can head onto the most anticipated vintage locomotive graveled and lawn-greenish parking lot. In this room it displays and talks about the modern rails, which are accustomed by the Kenyan government in collaboration with the Chinese.
The Locomotives at Nairobi Railway Museum.
First Coach, Charles Henry George Ryall Story.
The story of Charles Henry George Ryall: he was a police officer together with two others who were set to kill the Man-Eaters of the Tsavo national park, they got into their first class of the course armed to the core with rifles, ready to finish this thing once and for all.
Upon arrival to a place known as Kima, where the Tsavo eaters were known to have their territory, they cocked up their rifles, ready to bring these monsters down, only for dark to creep on without sight of the dreaded lions.
The second coach is out of Africa.
This is another interesting coach, featured in the favorite movies out of Africa, set in Kenya in 1985 loosely based on the true events of the book (Get the book on Amazon) written by Karen Blixen under the name Isak Dinesen. The name bore an opulent suburb in Kenya, “Karen,” and there is a Museum behind her name as well. Karen Blixen Museum, this is another museum you should tour during your visit in Nairobi. So the coach featured in that movie (now on Netflix) is inside the Nairobi Railway Museum.
Location of the Nairobi National Museum.
You first walk from Nairobi CBD. It is quite a tour of about 1.7 km to the destination. Take Moi Avenue down to Afya center, at the roundabout take Haile Selassie Avenue up to Kenya poly on your left take workshop road, straight ahead you will see Station Road, which leads you to the Nairobi Railway Museum.
Opening hours of Nairobi National Museum.
The Nairobi National Museum is always open from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm seven days a week. During the holidays and National Functions, they are rarely closed, waiting for your arrival.
Entrance fees for Nairobi National Museum.
Museum Charges.
| Non-resident adult | Ksh 600 (6 USD) |
| Non-Resident Student | Ksh 300 (3 USD) |
| Resident adult | Ksh 500 |
| Resident student | Ksh 200 |
| Nonresident/Resident child | Ksh 100 |
| Citizen adult | Ksh 200 |
| Citizen student/Child | Ksh 100 |
The payment for the museum is only paid by the MPESA or the VISA CARD; cash is not allowed during your payment.
