Learn About the History of Fiji at these Fiji Museums
If there’s one thing you can rely on for a rainy day, or more importantly to get a better understanding of a country, it’s a museum. Fiji has its own small selection of museums, but they might not all be the perfectly polished and finely curated museums you are used to. Sure, there is the Fiji Museum in Suva or the Ba Civic Museum in Ba, where you’ll feel most familiar with their organised displays of fascinating artefacts. But venture to the miss-match collections of the Levuka Museum or the outdoor cultural centres of the Coral Coast and Suva, and you’ll find yourself learning about Fiji in a whole new way. Take a look at the museum in Fiji listed below!
While you’re here, don’t miss How to Have a Real Fiji Cultural Experience.
1. The Fiji Museum
Fiji’s most iconic museum, The Fiji Museum, is situated in the administrative capital of Fiji, Suva. The museum is a must-visit for anyone interested in Fiji’s culture and history, with some archaeological pieces dating back more than 3,500 years! Explore permanent exhibitions on Fiji’s maritime history in the Maritime Gallery, social history in the History Gallery, and the Girmit Gallery dedicated to the Indo-Fijian story. There are often temporary exhibitions telling stories about cultural artefacts, like the Masi or Fiji’s fashion over the centuries, that’s also worth spending some time in. Plus, be amazed by the species once found all over the islands in the Natural History Gallery. Admission is around FJ$10 per person.
Location: Thurston Gardens, Suva, Viti Levu (mainland). Tours and transfers are available from Nadi on Viator and Tripadvisor.
© Matthias Süßen on Wikipedia2. Ba Civic Museum
For those venturing on the road-less-travelled, the Kings Road on Viti Levu, don’t miss the Ba Civic Museum. Located in Fiji’s most populated district, this museum has many stories to tell about the diverse range of people who have lived here. See mock-ups of Fijian bures, how the early Indo-Fijians lived when they arrived as labourers for the sugar trade, and much more in this fascinating museum in Fiji. Check out more things to do in Ba here.
Location: Ba, Suncoast, Viti Levu. (Take the first right when heading east across the Ba River bridge).
© Public Domain3. Levuka Museum
There’s plenty of history to uncover in Fiji’s first colonial capital, Levuka on the island of Ovalau. The UNESCO World Heritage Site was an important trading town in the 19th Century, so even exploring the town and its original buildings feels like a living museum. Nevertheless, Levuka has its own museum full of trinkets and relics from those early trading days. While the museum is small, and not as neatly curated as some other museums in Fiji, the charm of the museum is more than enough reason to visit. Find out more things to do there in 10 Amazing Things to Do in the Lomaiviti Islands.
Location: At the Levuka Library, Levuka, Ovalau, Lomaiviti Islands.
© Merbabu on Wikipedia4. Kalevu Cultural Centre
Although it’s not strictly a museum, the Kalevu Cultural Centre on the Coral Coast provides a great insight into the way of life in a traditional Fijian village. Visitors can book onto a one-hour guided tour to learn about the Fijian history, culture and traditions through a mix of demonstrations, traditional-style Fijian buildings and through Q&As with your guide. Check out more things to do on the Coral Coast here.
Location: Gecko’s Resort, Cuvu, Coral Coast, Viti Levu.
© Gecko's Resort5. Orchid Island Cultural Centre
More history and culture awaits at Orchid Island, which is best described as an outdoor museum. The centre celebrates all thing Fiji with traditional-style bures, Fijian plants and animals, craft demonstrations, a drua canoe on display and more!
Location: Queens Road, Veisari (about 10km from Suva), Viti Levu.
© othree on Wikipedia
