Experience the Heartbeat of The Bahamas

The heartbeat of The Bahamas • 300 years strong • Right at the port • Open daily • Drums. Costumes. Rush-outs. •

Why Visit The Bahamas Museum of Junkanoo?

Junkanoo is something you hear, feel, create, and become.

Discover more than 300 years of Bahamian culture through immersive exhibits, hands-on experiences, live drumming, and the stories behind the nation’s most celebrated tradition.

Born from resilience, creativity, and celebration, Junkanoo has become the cultural Heartbeat of The Bahamas. Junkanoo has lasted more than 300 years. Few things in this country have endured that long, which is what makes this tradition so extraordinary.

Every feather, every drumbeat, every handcrafted costume tells a story passed down for generations. Its roots trace back more than 300 years, to enslaved Africans who turned a few days of freedom into music and joy. What began as an act of survival and cultural preservation has become one of the country’s most treasured traditions.

At the Bahamas Museum of Junkanoo, you don’t simply learn about this tradition.

You become part of it.

More Than a Museum

Seven Ways to Live Junkanoo

Most people watch Junkanoo from the sidelines. Here, you step inside it.

I. The Drums

Feel the beat before you hear it

Stand close to real goatskin drums and feel the rhythm in your chest. This is the sound that pulls whole streets into motion.

II. The Costumes

Every costume tells a story

Towering wings, marlins, flamingos and ships. Each piece carries a part of the Bahamian story. Get up close and learn what it all means.

III. The Materials

Watch everyday materials become art

Cardboard, wire and crepe paper are cut, fringed and pasted by hand. No two pieces are ever alike.

IV. The Pasting Table

Make a piece of your own

Sit at the pasting table, learn the real craft strand by strand, and walk out with a piece you made yourself.

V. The AV Room

Stand in the middle of the parade

Wraparound screens and full sound put you right on Bay Street, the way Bahamians have lived it for generations.

VI. The Rush Out

Celebrate like a local

Put on a costume, step into the sound and rush out like a true Bahamian. This is the moment you stop being a guest.

VII. The Shop

Take the culture home

Every purchase supports the Bahamian artisans and traditions behind the festival.

This is the only place in Nassau where you can experience Junkanoo this way, all year round.

Just here to learn? Join the Guided Experience at $20

Why visitors love it

300+

Years of Bahamian cultural history

Interactive galleries, filled with immersive exhibits

Nassau Cruise Port

Easy to visit before or after your island adventure

Hands-On

Play, create, dance, and celebrate

Hear it from visitors themselves

Plan your visit

Hours of operation

Mon – Sun

Including holidays

8:00 AM to 4:00 PM

Last entry 30 minutes before closing

Location

Prince George Wharf

The Bahamas Museum of Junkanoo, Nassau Cruise Port, Nassau, Bahamas

Ticket pricing

Guided Experience: $20

Toddler (3 and younger) are free.

All visitors are encouraged to schedule a time slot.

Prices subject to change without notice.

Tickets are non-refundable. To request changes to your reservation, please contact us.

Coming to Nassau?

Get a quick guide to the museum and the best time to visit.