Jamaica Music Museum to Get New Home

The Institute of Jamaica’s (IOJ) Jamaica Music Museum (JaMM) is getting a new, state-of-the-art home. 

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, recently broke ground for the development at the corner of East Street and Tower Street in downtown Kingston. 

“Today truly marks a milestone,” she said, noting that the new building will be “a living, monumental edifice that will reflect the past, the present, and the future”.  

Ms. Grange said that the JaMM began in the corridors of the IOJ, before moving to cramped space on Water Lane, and is now housed in the Tower Street Gallery.  

She noted that the new state-of-the-art building to be constructed “will showcase a more expanded collection, a museum that resonates with pulsating performances and Jamaican cultural expressions.”  

“This institution will anchor our legacy and inspire the future,” she added. 

Also on the day, the Minister officially opened two new exhibitions at the IOJ. 

These are the JaMM’s display titled ‘From African to Jamaican: Music and Creolised Black Culture’ and the Natural History Museum of Jamaica’s new permanent exhibition gallery. 

Ms. Grange said that the JaMM’s display “demonstrates the power of music as a multidisciplinary connector and as a compelling chronicle of Afro-Jamaican legacy and socio-political history. It weaves art, music and history to create a clear story of who we are and how far we have come.”  

As it relates to the new permanent gallery at the Natural History Museum, Ms. Grange said it will “offer opportunities for young people and everyone to learn about the environment that has shaped our identity as Jamaicans.” 

The exhibition aims to inspire scientific research and educate the public about Jamaica’s unique biodiversity and the importance of its natural history. 

Director and Curator of the JaMM, Herbie Miller, in his address, said that the breaking of ground for the new building represents the culmination of more than 15 years of advocacy. 

He said that the construction of a new music museum is not a luxury, but a necessity.  

“Our music has given Jamaica the status of a global cultural mecca. It deserves a space that preserves, celebrates, and interprets our achievements for generations to come,” he contended. 

Executive Director of the IOJ, Michelle Creed-Nelson, in her remarks, said the groundbreaking and opening of the new exhibitions represent an important step in advancing the Institute’s mission. 

“I am proud to steward these milestones as we diversify and deepen our offerings, rededicating ourselves to safeguarding and celebrating Jamaica’s rich, natural and cultural heritage,” Mrs. Creed-Nelson said, noting that the initiatives reaffirm the IOJ’s commitment to “making our heritage accessible to every Jamaican.”