Twelfth International Conference on The Inclusive Museum

Abstract

Sustainable development represents the future of the world and one of the main agenda that the global world hopes to achieve as countries put forth strategies as well as mechanisms to ensure attainment of this global initiative. It is very important that nations have to ensure the attainment of sustainable development goals. The tourism industry especially cultural tourism has the potential to help countries meet not all but some of the of the sustainable development goals. In Kenya, The National Museums of Kenya (NMK) is a state corporation of the Government of Kenya founded in 1910, whose role is to collect, preserve, study, document, and present Kenya’s past and present cultural and natural heritage with over twenty-two regional museums, and monuments across Kenya including the world-famous Nairobi National Museum. A number of sites some of which are inscribed as World Heritage Sites (WHS) for instance the case of the coastal Kaya forests support the tourism industry. Through desktop research as well as interviews with the industry stakeholders, this paper offers a SWOT analysis of measures taken by the National Museums of Kenya to preserve cultural as well as heritage aspects with a focus on museums and in line with sustainable tourism. It is imperative to take stock of the current situation on the status of museums in Kenya so as to address current challenges and formulate strategic plans going forward.