Bahamas Historical Museum, Nassau

The Bahamas Historical Museum, also known as the Pompey Museum, is housed in Vendue House, one of the oldest surviving commercial buildings in the city. Dating to the late 18th century, the structure originally functioned as a slave auction house and later as a customs and commercial space. Its reuse as a museum places difficult history at the forefront, anchoring the institution firmly within the physical fabric of Nassau’s colonial past.

The museum focuses on the history of slavery and emancipation in the Bahamas, presenting the subject through documents, images, artifacts, and carefully framed narratives. Exhibits trace the transatlantic slave trade, plantation life, resistance, and the path toward abolition, with particular attention given to the 1830 revolt led by Pompey, after whom the museum is named. Rather than overwhelming visitors with scale, the displays emphasize clarity and context, encouraging reflection on how global systems of exploitation shaped local society.

Beyond slavery, the museum also explores broader themes of Bahamian identity, including African cultural heritage, post-emancipation life, and the gradual development of a distinct national consciousness. Personal stories and community memory play a central role, helping visitors understand how historical events continue to influence social structures and cultural expression today.