Establishing impacts of climate change on National Museums of Kenya: tangible heritage for adaptation, resilience and sustainability

A study of the Karen Blixen Museum and Nairobi Gallery, written by Doris Kamuye, Lillian Amwanda, and Rodah Lange.

Did you know climate change is not just about melting ice caps or rising seas? It is also quietly threatening Kenya’s tangible heritage.

Our museum collections, sites, monuments and historic buildings are already showing the scars. At the 1912 Karen Blixen House – cracked floors, walls, leaking roofs, and tilting pillars tell the story of a building struggling against changing weather and damp conditions. The precious collections in the house, temporary store, outdoor exhibitions, and the surrounding environments speak out on the challenges of climate change over time.

In the heart of Nairobi, the one hundred- and twelve-years old Nairobi Gallery building faces a different battle; dust, traffic pollution, flooding, increased relative humidity, light and extreme temperature fluctuations are putting the building and the priceless collections at risk. These two museums remind us that climate change is not far away; it is here with us reshaping our conservation and adaptation strategies.

In response to these challenges, three ITP fellows; Lilian Amwanda, Doris Kamuye, and Rodah Lange who were winners of the ITP Research Grant 2025, embarked on a fact-finding mission to establish the impacts of climate change on National Museums of Kenya tangible heritage for adaptation, resilience and sustainability. Their study focused on Western Region (Kabarnet and Tabach Museum), Central and Nairobi Region (Karen Blixen Museum & Nairobi Gallery), and Coastal Region (Malindi Museum and Gedi World Heritage Site). In Central region the study was carried out at the Karen Blixen Museum and the Nairobi Gallery between 29th September and 1st October 2025.

The two museum buildings are national monuments with great historical significance. They showcase unique heritage that not only connect Kenyans to the past but also inspire a sustainable future. Though only about 16 kilometres apart, they experience very different environmental pressures. The Karen Blixen Museum, located at the leafy suburb of Karen, enjoys cooler weather but often struggles with increased relative humidity, fluctuating temperatures, earth movements and invasive vegetation.

On the other hand, the Nairobi Gallery, located at the city centre between the busy express way and intersection of Kenyatta Avenue and Uhuru Highway is constantly exposed to traffic fumes, dust, flooding, increased temperatures, light intensity and relative humidity. Temperature fluctuations between day and night due to traffic fumes are adversely affecting both the building and the collections inside. In addition to this, flooding is common during heavy rain seasons.

In order to explore all the climatic challenges these museums are facing, the research combined power point presentation, observation, interviews, staff reflections, and questionnaires as research methods. Staff members were asked to look critically at their exhibition spaces and identify areas most affected by climate change. Curatorial staffs who take care of the collections, and auxiliary staffs who clean the buildings and maintain the grounds were involved. This inclusivity created open dialogue and genuine reflections.

When asked what climate change meant to them, staff gave heartfelt responses: a long-term shift in weather patterns, changes that affect both living and non-living things, global warming caused by human activity. One staff member summed it up:

“Climate change is real and is threatening our heritage. The damage and loss it can cause may be irreplaceable.”

Staff of Karen Blixen Museum during group discussion on climate change (left) and later presenting their findings to the whole group (right).

At the Karen Blixen Museum, a good number of staff seemed to understand the impacts of climate change on the museums collections, for they have a mechanism of monitoring these effects. The curatorial staff – armed with an environmental scanner – demonstrated how they occasionally monitor humidity, temperature, light intensity and visibility. The captured data is used to advise on the changes in environment to take recommended conservation strategies.

A member of the curatorial staff explaining how they measure relative humidity, temperature, and light (left); Curatorial staff assessing pests (right).

They however pointed that the impacts of climate change have continued to affect the building and the collections in a great way. A walk through the exhibition space, temporary storage, outdoor exhibitions and the surrounding environment revealed visible effects of climate change: mould, lichens moss, discoloration, hardening and cracking on skin objects, pests and corrosion. Large continuous cracks in floors and walls, leakages, and structural tilting of pillars on the building were also witnessed.

Large continuous cracks on the floor (left) and walls (right) threatening the building.

Invasive weeds and trees are quickly colonising the lawns and nature trail. A staff member who maintains the grounds quoted:

“Several years ago, these lawns were occupied by grass only. A few years ago, this stubborn weed has colonised the grass. The weed can withstand all weather unlike the grass which dries during harsh weather. I am scared if something is not done urgently all this grass will be no more and clients will not like the ground”.

The team assessing the outdoor exhibitions.

A group photo of the ITP team and Karen Blixen Museum staff.

ITP Fellows introducing the study to Nairobi Gallery staffs.

At the Nairobi Gallery, staff highlighted urban-related challenge including dust, vehicle emissions, increased daytime temperatures, fluctuating humidity, increased day light, pests, flooding and leakages. These were evident as the staff and ITP fellows did an assessment of the collections. Staff also pointed out that the impacts of climate change including traffic pollution from the cars not only affect the collections but also the staff.

ITP Fellows and Nairobi Gallery staffs assessing the collections.

Impacts of climate change on the collections.

An ITP Fellow pointing damages caused by leakages.

Through the survey, the ITP fellows established that the impacts of climate change were being felt at the NMK. Their mark is already visible on the collections, buildings and the staff. Addressing these threats now will ensure, the irreplaceable collections and monuments are conserved for the present and future generations. To achieve this, NMK must walk with speed, create awareness on impacts of climate change, come up with new innovative conservation strategies, embrace partnerships and allocate dedicated budget for climate change adaptation and resilience.