About the Kenya Museum Society
History of the Kenya Museum Society (KMS)
Louis Leakey was born in 1903 and grew up in Kabete, Nairobi. Forty-five years later he proclaimed to the world that the Horn of Africa was the cradle of mankind. Teaming up with like-minded enthusiasts Joel Ojai, Dr. Thomas Odhiambo and Professor Joseph Mungai, in 1955 Leakey formed the ‘Kenya Museum Associates’ to finance the group’s activities putting Kenya in the global spotlight of prehistory assets. In 1971 Louis’s son Richard Leakey formed the ‘Kenya Museum Society’, non-profit making organization for the purpose of supporting the programs and activities of the National Museums of Kenya (NMK).
The Kenya Museum Society was established to support and promote the
National Museums of Kenya (NMK), with two primary mandates: to raise funds for
the work of the Museums, and to train museum guides. KMS also runs the
bookshops at the Nairobi and Karen Blixen museums, and the Art Gallery in the
Nairobi Museum. Through public programmes such as the Know
Kenya Course and Arts Festival, proceeds from the two bookshops and the Art
Gallery, funds are raised to support the KMS grants programme. Grants
awarded to the National Museums in 2002 exceeded KSh3 million.
Grants Programme
KMS awards grants to individuals and departments within the Museums in three
priority areas:
Exhibits & Research - in recent years, KMS funds refurbished the Meru and Hyrax Hill regional
museums, set up the new aquarium exhibit at Nairobi Museum, and renovated the
historic Old Law Courts Building at Fort Jesus, Mombasa. We also
underwrite the cost of research and fieldtrips, some recent examples being in
the areas of palaeontology and ornithology.
- Infrastructure - grants in this area
have provided computers, printers and other equipment for many Museum
departments.
- Training - KMS has funded local and
overseas training courses for NMK staff, and supported the PhD studies of
deserving Museum researchers.
Museum Guides - KMS trains volunteer guides for both the Nairobi and Karen Blixen museums.
Guide training is a follow-on from the annual Know Kenya Course. Our
guides come from all corners of the globe and can therefore give guided tours in
many different languages. There's generally a guide on duty every morning
at the Nairobi Museum, but if you want a particular language, please call the
KMS office ahead of the date and check availability. Guided tours are
free.
Bookshops -
The two KMS-run bookshops in the Nairobi and Karen Blixen museums stock a wide
range of books about Kenya and East Africa, its wildlife, history, literature
and culture. There's also a lively display of postcards and souvenir
items. Check out our prices - they're competitive with the best bookshops
in Nairobi. Like the museums, the bookshops are open seven days a week.
And your purchase supports our National Museums.
Engraving of early Mombasa, showing Fort Jesus and
part of the old town, c.1861. As part of the National Museum's
millennium celebrations, KMS funded an exhibition of old photographs of
Kenya's first urban centres - Mombasa, Nairobi and Kisumu - which travelled
to museums around the country.
About our volunteers
KMS is a society run by volunteers, all of whom give their time and energy freely for the benefit of the National Museums of Kenya. Volunteers come in all colours, nationalities, shapes and sizes. What they have in common is a generosity of spirit and time, and an interest in Kenya. Hundreds of volunteers have come and gone since KMS was established over 30 years ago - and all of them have gained new friends, and had a lot of fun learning more about Kenya, its peoples, history and culture.
KMS volunteers give their time and energy freely for the benefit of our National Museums, and gain a sense of pride and achievement in return. And yes, we have fun too! We would welcome you as a volunteer too! Email us if you are interested in helping.