Karen Blixem Museum is angelically located in the suburbs of Nairobi, it is a colonial house where Karen Blixen lived with her husband, the house was built in 1912 but was bought by the couple in 1917, it is placed on approximately 4500 hectares of land and a visit to the museum will take you a step back in time into the incredible life of Blixen which was acted in the movie “Out of Africa”. Karen Blixen lived at the house between 1914 and 1931, the lovely house has been preserved and it is surrounded by the rolling hills of Ngong. The house on this farm is one of the oldest houses in Kenya.
The Museum was established in 1985 in memory of Karen Blixen who was a farmer and author, the house was sold to a series of people after Karen including Colonel Lloyd who lived there until he died in 1954, after which his daughter occupied the house, it was later gifted to the Kenyan government as a giftfollowing independence in 1963, it is about the same that Karen’s great works had become famous including the famous movie, her lovers kept on visiting the house and this is when the idea of turning it into a museum emerged.
Karen Blixen Museum showcases the life of a talented author and farmer through photography, paintings, furniture, and books, there is a beautifully unique collection of different agricultural tools that were used at this time dating back to the 18thcentury, there were tons of coffee harvested from her gardens by oxen and transported using the Uganda-Kenya Railway to Mombasa for export.
Karen Blixen Museum area features several bird species about 116 birds have been recorded in the national park to date one of Karen’s dreams was to create a sustainable sanctuary, among the bird species is a jackdaw, a major resident, Kresterel, African martial eagles, to mention a few. The lush green gardens are a perfect setup for outdoor events like weddings and reception areas, the museum keeps up with Karen’s idea ofloving art and therefore supports upcoming artists at the house.
There isa museum shop that offers a wide choice of souvenirs, including artsand crafts, and posters from famous movies to mention a few, groups of students come to the museum for visits and art activities that are arranged and tailored according to their program. The trees in the gardens are labelled for easy identification.
Trips to the Karen Blixen can be combined with visits to the Nairobi National Park for a glimpse of wildlife species, the park is the only conservation area within the city, game drives are the primary activity in the national park, guided nature walks and birding experiences, visit the Nairobi National Museum for more history of Kenya.
In conclusion, Kalen Blixen Museum can be visited anytime of the year but best during the dry season between the months of December-Febuary and June-September, it is a peak tourism season in Kenya hence travelers to the museum.