Upon its completion in about 1821 the fort marked the southern corner of the traditional stone town and served as a garrison for Baluchi soldiers sent by the Sultan of Oman. Its protective presence encouraged new development around it, for example it was at this time that some Lamu merchants erected the 19th century shopfront and buildings. By 1900 the Fort had become a central to the community, a role which it still plays today.
It served as a prison from 1910 to 1984 to both the British colonial
regime and the Kenya government, before it was handed over to the
National Museums of Kenya in 1984. Efforts to turn the Fort into a
museum were started with technical and financial assistance from
Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA). With its inception as
a museum with environmental conservation as its general theme; Lamu
Fort is basically a community center for the people of Lamu old town.
The
courtyard is available for weddings, meetings and theatre productions.
At the ground floor there is a large exhibition space, which most
recently hosted the first Environmental Museum in Africa. Upstairs
there are administrative offices, laboratories, a workshop and a
rooftop with impressive views over the town. There is also an excellent
conference facility that is available for hire.
Lamu Fort is a massive two storey stone structure located in Lamu Old
town, Lamu District. It lies about 70 meters inland at the main jetty
within Grid Reference 114 498 on the Lamu 1:50,000, Kenya Survey Map
sheet No. 180/1.