Bomas of Kenya, Cultural center and museum in Nairobi, Kenya.
Bomas of Kenya is a cultural center and open-air museum in Nairobi where traditional performances and replica homesteads from across the country are on display. The site is organized around a large amphitheater and a series of reconstructed village compounds, each representing a different Kenyan community.
The Kenyan government opened the center in 1971, in the years following independence, with the aim of bringing together traditions from the country's many communities in one place. Over the decades it grew into one of Nairobi's main venues for traditional arts and performance.
The amphitheater hosts daily performances where dancers and musicians wear traditional dress from specific Kenyan communities. Each group has its own style of movement, drumming, and song, making it easy to notice the differences between them.
The site is located south of Nairobi's city center and is most easily reached by car or taxi. Plan your visit around the amphitheater shows, which run at set times during the day, and leave time to walk through the homestead area at your own pace.
The word "boma" means an enclosed homestead or village in several East African languages, and the plural in the center's name reflects exactly what you see on the grounds. Each reconstructed compound stands as a separate unit, spaced apart from the others, just as real villages are spread across a landscape.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
