Nairobi National Museums

The Nairobi Snake Park was started in January, 1961 to meet a popular attraction and to provide a research facility on reptiles, breeding of snakes. Live snakes were exhibited on experimental basis at the entrance of the Museum in 1958 which later became a popular attraction.When the popularity was noted, a portion of land in front of the Museum and down to the Nairobi River was acquired by the Museum Trustees for the development of Botanical gardens and exhibitions on live snakes. This idea was developed further in 1959, when money was made available for a combined facility, Snake Park and Snake study centre surrounded by a botanical garden and war memorial garden on one end.