The Bob Marley Museum, one of Jamaica’s favourite attractions, the Museum is located in the capital, Kingston and this was Marley’s home until his death in 1981. It was also home to Tuff Gong record label that was founded by The Wailers back in the 1970s. Today, the house is a famous tourist attraction, museum and shrine.
Although Bob Marley passed away at a very young age, his memory lives on forever not only in Jamaica but all over the world. And this is one way of remembering him.
Bob Marley was born Robert Nesta Marley on February 6, 1945, to 50-year old white quartermaster Captain Norval Marley of the British West Indian Regiment and an eighteen-year old black Jamaican woman, Cedella Malcolm.
Bob’s early life was spent in rural community of Nine Miles, nestled in the mountainous terrain of the parish of St. Ann. The museum is housed in Bob Marley’s former home which he bought from Chris Blackwell in 1975; the property also housed his Tuff Gong recording studio.
The house is shielded by a wall painted in Rasta colours red, green and gold and adorned with photos and Rastafarian murals, including those of his seven sons (though not his daughters).
Dominating the forecourt is a cheerily coloured statue of the musical legend; when conducting interviews, Marley used to sit on the front step behind the statue.
Some of the guides are overly solemn (focusing with eerie earnestness on the room where Marley survived assassination, the bullet holes left untouched), but the hour-long tour provides fascinating insights into the life he led after moving uptown.
The structure has two storeys, the lower being masonry and the upper of timber. The original plan of the building was basically rectangular with a projecting portiere of the building having a room above and carport below.
The servants’ quarters are to the rear of the building. The Museum houses memorabilia of the Legendary Reggae Singer and Superstar Bob Marley. This 19th century Georgian home is equipped with old and new features.
At the gate is a statue of bob Marley with his favourite guitar. At the back of the home, you can enter the upstairs porch where Bob was shot in 1976. Inside the room are full blown-up pictures of newspaper coverage of the event. There is also a replica of a trench town record store owned by Rita and Bob Marley and the bicycle they used to deliver records across town.
Nearby is gift shops and legends cafe. A wide range of Bob Marley products are sold here including CDs, photos, bags, shirts, shoes and towels. There is also the rock on which he sits and lay to do his meditation using his dreads as his cushion.
If you are a fan of Bob Marley and his music, this is a must place to visit. Also featured in the home are Rastafarian religious cloaks, Bob Marley’s favourite denim shirt and the Order of Merit given to him by the Jamaican government.