The Turks & Caicos National Museum in Cockburn Town is a family-friendly attraction that explores the history of the Caribbean with a focus on the Turks and Caicos Islands. Established in 1991, it houses a fascinating collection of exhibits and artifacts relating to the tropical Atlantic archipelago.
The museum is housed in one of Grand Turk’s most impressive colonial buildings, Guinep House. Constructed over 200 years ago using the salvaged timber of shipwrecks, it demonstrates classic colonial architectural style with a white-washed frontage and bright red roof.The museum includes collections of objects crafted by the island’s earliest inhabitants, the Lucayans, plus later artifacts that relate to its salt industry and maritime links. See the poignant message-in-a-bottle collection, plus fascinating items believed to have been recovered from Christopher Columbus’ ship, ‘La Pinta’.
A more recent exhibition explores NASA’s space program and astronaut John Glenn, the first American to orbit the earth, who splashed down just offshore in 1962. There’s also the museum’s showpiece – the Molasses Reef Wreck – the oldest shipwreck ever excavated in the Americas. The museum makes an ideal stop on when visiting as part of an island tour or day trip to Cockburn Town.
*The museum has a small entrance fee. Children under 12 accompanied by an adult get free entry.
*The museum’s balcony, which overlooks Front Street and the ocean, provides a lovely spot for visitors to pause and rest their feet.
*Once a month. the museum shows first-run films in the rear courtyard along with drinks and popcorn.
*There’s a shop selling souvenirs including local jewelry and artwork on site.
The museum is situated in Guinep House on Front Street, at the northern end of Cockburn Town on Grand Turk island. If visiting as part of a day trip from a cruise ship, the best way to reach the museum from the cruise center is by taxi. The museum is close to Cockburn Town’s other main sights, plus shops, restaurants, and accommodation options.
The museum is open from Tuesday to Saturday and from 9am to 1pm. On Wednesdays, it opens only during the afternoon (from 1pm to 5pm) The museum is busiest when there are cruise ships docked at the island.
