The Cayman Islands National Museum is the place to learn about all the things that made Cayman what it is over the years.

Indeed, the building itself is part of that long and vibrant history.
The first part of the building visitors enter once served as a prison for those who were to be tried in the old courthouse upstairs. In fact, even the steps leading up to the courthouse have become part of Cayman culture, immortalised in the saying “walking the 13 steps”, which means being taken to court.

The building also served as a schoolhouse, as well as a government office before becoming a museum.
Following Hurricane Ivan in 2004, an extensive restoration programme was needed to bring the building back to life. The new museum encompasses traditional building techniques and modern technology.

Boasting everything from a storytelling mannequin to simulated submarine dives, the museum offers a hands-on approach to history with a range of displays and artifacts, including old coins, a catboat, renditions of turtle nests, and local flora and fauna.

The collection of cultural artifacts includes traditional objects related to turtling, rope making, ship building and more. The museum also has an art collection which supports the mandate to interpret Cayman’s history. Part of this is the McCoy Collection, which collated winning art from the McCoy Prize; paintings, drawings, sculpture, photographs and crafts created by some of the most talented artists Cayman has ever produced.

Permanent exhibits in the gallery include interpretative panels and displays of geologic history, a spectacular bathymetric model, photo murals, a model of the coral reef, a turtle nesting diorama, a mangrove diorama, a cliff-rock diorama, a mosaic of habitats and much more including the always-popular submarine model and audio-visual experience which is based on a wonderful underwater video revealing deep ocean life.

The cultural history gallery features interpretations of the old court, cultural vignettes and dynamic displays. After your tour stop by the gift shop and take home a memento of your vacation to Cayman.