Montego Bay Cultural Centre — Attraction in Montego Bay

This place was such a little nugget of gold!! There was a photo exhibit on the top floor. Our guide was one of the artists so her descriptions of the works, both her own and the other artists, were very informative and insightful. Her answers to questions were reflective and well thought out. There were 2 additional exhibition rooms downstairs- one of them had a historical exhibit focused on Montego Bay but included Jamaica in general. It started from the beginning with the indigenous people of the island through colonization and slavery to emancipation and independence. We had a guide who talked us through the exhibit which was good for us as we had kids with us so it brought the pictures and artifacts to life. But if you have time, dont bother with the guided tour and just read it yourself. In the other room was a rastafari exhibit which was so fantastic. It also took you from the beginnings through to modern day. The exhibit tied in the history of the island with the rastafari movement and way of life. Again if you have time and are not with young kids, don't bother with the guided tour. We spent quite a bit of time there and would have stayed longer had we not been on our way to...

Montego Bay Cultural Centre is located downtown bustling Montego Bay overlooking Sam Sharpe Square which is quite relevant. There is a small admission fee, this former courthouse and former council offices now house Jamaican past, it is a museum to Jamaicas past and depicts Jamaica origins and Jamaican fight and discovery by Christopher Columbus though to Slavery and the horrific way slaves were treated and many died, it charts the abolition of slavery, Sam Sharpe was prevalent in this, it charts the afterlife and struggles to what is now independent and tourist attraction and destination Jamaica, there is lots of art and artistic items of great interest and value. In a separate section is the Rastafarianism, it’s origin from Ethiopia, it’s rise in Jamaica, the lifestyle, its path in music, it’s leader Haile Selassie and it’s growth around the world and the persecution of Rastas, it was definitely an eye opening experience. If in Montego Bay this is definitely a place to visit and immerse yourself in Jamaican history which is interesting and the aspects of Jamaican life...

This was a diamond in the rough. We came from a Carnival cruise, looking for something beyond Margaritaville and shopping. We took a ten-minute walk from the Hop and Stop bus stop at the craft market near Fort Montego.

Once at the MBCC, we bought our tickets (the $2 student tickets are a great value--but have cash!) and went to the Rastafari exhibit and learned about the origins and growth of Rastafarianism. From there we went across to the history section, where we learned about pre-Columbian Jamaica, the horrors of slavery, and the growth of agriculture and industry.

Then we went upstairs to the art gallery (the National Gallery West), where they had an exhibit of Albert Artwell's work, showcasing his use of biblical themes to depict Jamaican life.

Finally, we went outside to the Freedom Monument, commemorating the 1832 Rebellion.

Overall, it was a great way to spend our afternoon. Some Americans might not be comfortable with the atmosphere around the MBCC, but everyone we encountered was very welcoming (even if they were mostly interested in...