AbiriKenya

Regional Museums in Lamu

German Post Office Museum: Liaison Office

Established in November of 1888 by Clement Denhardt, a German explorer at the time of the Scramble for Africa, and re-opened in 1996, the pocket-sized German Post Office Museum served as the solitary liaison office to the German controlled Witu. The Germans had gained Witu as part of the never-ending concessions, exceptions, and adjustments with the British Empire during the scramble for East Africa. The interest of the European in Lamu had overlapped with the decline of Lamu as an economic hub and port city, which had been marked by Maasai raids and the famine of 1884 that caused some plantation villages to be abandoned.

The situation in Lamu region was worsened by the cattle plague of 1889 and the increased restrictions on slave labour. In the north, the Germans were inciting the ruler of Wituland to lay claim to the sizeable coastal stretch between Kipini and Kiwayu by introducing taxes on the produce of the islands’ plantations. And in the south, the Sultan Barghash of Zanzibar, unable to stem the flutters of the German imperialism, conceded to the British East African Association (BEAA) the right to administer the coast between Vanga and Kipini in his name. The outcome of these external factors was the beginning of the disintegration of the Swahili coast unit.

In the following years the coast became ground zero for European rivalries, in a strife successively put-right by the Anglo-German Agreements of 1886 and 1890. In 1895, Lamu was legitimately declared a protectorate of Britain. Acquired by the National Museums of Kenya in 1993, it was restored with German assistance and opened in 1996, showcasing the historical ties between Germany and Kenya via the lens of early postal communication and industrial development. German Post Office Museum displays a great deal of the records, photos and other mementos from the ten year period of German East Africa’s operations in the Witu region.

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The regional museums in Kenya offer a fascinating journey through the country’s history and heritage. They look back at ancient civilizations, cultures as they were centuries ago, cottage industries, colonial legacies, and archaeological finding – in specialization or as a combination – to give insights on the past and present.

Index of Regional Museums in Kenya



Baringo County - Kabarnet Museum, Kipsaraman Museum, Biretwo Museum, Busia County - The Kakapel Cultural Center, Elgeyo Marakwet County - Tambach Museum, Homa Bay County - Abasuba Peace Museum, Kajiado County - Olorgesailie Museum, Kericho County - Fort Tenan Prehistoric Site, Kilifi County - The Gede Ruins, Malindi Museum, Rabai Cultural Landscape, Kisumu County - Kisumu Museum, Lamu County - German Post Office, Lamu Museum, Takwa Ruins, Marsabit County - Desert Museum, Koobi Fora Museum, Meru County - Meru Museum, Njuri Ncheke Museum, Migori County - Thimlich Ohinga, Mombasa County - Fort Jesus Museum, Nairobi County - Karen Blixen Museum, Judiciary Museum, Railway Museum, Nairobi National Museum, Nakuru County - Kariandusi Museum, Hyrax Hill Museum, Nandi County - Koitalel Arap Samoei Museum, Narok County - Narok Museum, Nyeri County - Nyeri Museum, Paxtu House, Samburu County - Kenyatta House Maralal, Trans Nzoia County - Kitale Museum, Wajir County - Wajir Museum, West Pokot County - Kapenguria Museum

Privately Run Museums Around Kenya: Rhodia Mann Museum, Treasures of Africa, The Adamson's Museum, Taita Hills Museum, African Heritage House, Rev. Wray Museum, Maa Museum Enashipai Resort, Swahili House Museum Lamu, Museum of Illusions, Kapkatet Kipsigis Cultural Museum, The Gikuyu Museum, Memorial Peace Museum

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outlook

Lamu County is one of Kenya’s most unique and enchanting regions, known for its rich Swahili culture, pristine beaches, and UNESCO-listed heritage. Located on the northern coast of Kenya, it consists of a group of islands (Lamu, Manda, Pate, and Kiwayu) and a stretch of mainland coastline. Lamu Island in particular is more than just a destination—it’s a living piece of Swahili history and coastal paradise.

You Are Here: German Post Office Museum

Where to Next?

Explore Destinations Nearby German Post Office Museum

A Guide to Lamu County



A Summa Digest of Lamu

About Lamu Way Back When

70 Destinations in Lamu County, arranged as one would visit these - west, south, north then west - with aid of narratives, images, strip maps and distance chart:

Delta Dunes Lodge, Lake Moa, Old Town Witu, Witu Forest Reserve, Pangani Swamp, Lake Kiboko, Amu Ranch, Lake Amu, Kipini Conservancy, Lake Kenyatta, Amu Baharini Beach, Kizuke Beach, Lamu (Manda) Port, Red Pepper House, Lamu Island, Matondoni Dau Workshop, Matondoni Ruins, Tusitiri Dhow, Kipungani Ruins, Kizingoni Beach, Old Town Lamu, Lamu World Heritage Sector, Lamu Museum, The Swahili House Museum, German Post Office Museum, Lamu Fort, Lamu Market, Masjid Khoja Ithnasheri, Masjid Riyadha, House of Habib Swaleh, The Mosque College Lamu, Lamu Catholic Church, Tamarind Tree Cafe, Donkey Sanctuary, The Floating Bar, Boat Rides, MaraRaha, Kijani Hotel, Shela Village, Friday Masjid, Forodhani House, Peponi Hotel, Shela Beach, Bahari Restaurant, Fort at Shela, Ras Kitau, Diamond Village, The Maljis, Takwa Ruins, Manda Island, Manda Lodge, Manda Toto, Manda Coral Quarry, Nabahani Ruins, Pate Island, Shanga Ruins, Siyu Fort, Shindamweh, Atu Ruins, Chundwa Ruins, Faza Village, Lamu Monuments, Mangrove Forests, Dodori National Reserve, Kiunga Marine N. Reserve, Kiwayu Island, Ashuwei, Boni Forest National Reserve, Ishakani Ruins, Lamu Festivals

Know More About Lamu County: Its Geography, Land-Use, Highlights, Population, Roads - including distance chart, Airports, Climate & National Monuments

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