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Category: A Day at the National Museum

Support the Museum.

Help preserve the history of the islands.

Find out what’s happening behind the scenes

Volunteers Needed

Monday, 01 February 2021 by

The Turks & Caicos National Museum Foundation is seeking the help of volunteers to assist with the running of the existing Provo museum facility in The Village at Grace Bay.
Duties will include conducting short tours and assisting with gift shop sales and will amount to a few hours a week, at set times. It is hoped to assemble a team of 3-4 persons so a roster can be established. Full training will be given.
The National Museum Foundation is also establishing a fund-raising committee on Providenciales to assist with raising funds for the new museum building designed by globally renowned architect, Ron Shaw. The committee will consist of a representative from the TCI Government, a representative of TCHTA, two existing board members and a number of
volunteers from the wider community.
The objectives of the committee are to create public awareness for the new national museum building and to work on various fund-raising initiatives to cover the construction cost.
Interested persons should contact Lisa Talbot, National Museum Manager at
info@tcmuseum.org or 649-247-2160 or Seamus Day at seamus.day@tcmuseum.org or 649-431-2849 or please visit the national museum’s website: www.tcmuseum.org
TCNMF is a registered not for profit organization aimed at recording, interpreting, preserving and celebrating the history of the Turks and Caicos Islands and its people.
The museum on Grand Turk is housed in the historical Guinep House; an iconic structure in the nation’s capital. The new expanded Provo museum building will be adjacent to the existing museum facility and heritage house in The Village, Grace Bay.

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National Museum Receives Government Sponsorship

Thursday, 07 November 2019 by
Delivering on a promise made by the Hon. Premier, Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson earlier this year at the inaugural Museum fundraising Gala, Hon. Karen Malcomb, Minister of Education, Youth, Culture and Library Services presented a fifty-thousand-dollar sponsorship check to the Turks and Caicos National Museum Foundation (TCNMF) at the third Right Excellent JAGS McCartney Lecture Series at the National Memorial Site.
The money will be used by the museum to:
  • Expand and create new events which will increase their fundraising ability and community programming,
  • Expand the museum’s research programming into little known aspects of TCI history to also include local students that can train in heritage management
  • Create new products to help educate locals on undiscovered TCI history,
  • Develop new exhibits, and
  • Expand the archival storage ability to help with the increased request to store historic documents.
Museum Director, Dr. Michael Pateman explains that “Over the next year we will be premiering many new programs including a documentary on traditional boat building, several history books aimed at the local schools, new exhibits on Salt and Governance in the TCI and so much more.”
President of the TCNMF Seamus Day said, “On behalf of the Members and Directors, we thank the Turks and Caicos Islands government and especially the Hon. Premier for this support. Over the last several years, the Museum has refocused on incorporating the local community more into our events, programs and exhibits and the government’s support will really allow us to expand on that.”

The sponsorship check from the government was not the only donation the Museum received during heritage month.   Mr. Alton Higgs a traditional “bush doctor”  from Lorimers, Middle Caicos (now resident on Grand Turk) gave the museum a basket he made from coconut leaves and stems marking the occasion of his 99th Birthday on October 17th 2019.
The TCNMF is a registered not for profit organization aimed at recording, interpreting, preserving and celebrating the history of the Turks and Caicos Islands and its people.  The TCNMF is headquartered at two-hundred-year-old Guinep House on Grand Turk and also has a facility in the Village of Grace Bay on Providenciales.

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2019 Eco Camp

Thursday, 22 August 2019 by

The TCNM & DECR Eco Camp 2019 on Grand Turk was a great success. We had a big group of great kids this year who enjoyed swim lessons, swimming, bird walk/scavenger hunt, Gibbs Cay trip, a tour of the National Park, learning about the environment and ocean life. Special thanks to Grand Turk Divers & White Sands Charters for the trip to Gibbs Cay, Island Tram for helping transport the kids and Deep Blue Charter for the informative boat ride about the National Park. Many others helped make this a success: Kerri-Ann Smith for volunteering and helping out, Ben Stubenberg for swim lessons, Amy Avenant from DECR for running the camp, Salt Raker, Osprey Beach Hotel, Big Mums, Sandbar and Hilary Day for the fantastic lunches! It was a week of Fun & Education! The club is made possible by sales of the book “Where is Simon? Sandy”, written by Donna Marie Seim.

 

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Memories of Provo Summer Camp 2019!

Thursday, 22 August 2019 by

There were many first time experiences for our campers at the Turks and Caicos National Museum’s 2019 Living History Summer Camp in the Village at Grace Bay, Providenciales. The making of homemade ice cream using a hand cranked ice-cream maker with Mr. Simmons was a delicious one. Another was the hydroponics farm; they were fascinated with the concept and had many questions for Mr. Harrison who graciously answered them all.
Though the visit to the desalination plant at Beaches Resort was another first, they were able to relate it the hydroponics farm since Mr. Harrison also uses desalinated water and so they developed an even greater appreciation for water, our scare but vital resource.

However, corn, with its origins attributed to the indigenous people of this region of the world, was the big story of the week. Each camper planted their very own corn seeds and took them home to nurture them into plants. They learnt how to grind corn to make grits and roast corn outside on the fire and of course, there was the popping of corn. Learning traditional dance steps from Mr. Bowen that culminated in a dance party was loads of fun. Speaking of fun that aptly describes the learning and playing the game of cricket lovely cricket with Coach Daryl. We did make some time to enjoy a picnic on the gorgeous North Shore Beach of Little Water Cay and learn all about the iguanas and mangroves. At our closing sessions they was a unanimous “best camp ever” so I think I can safely say the campers enjoyed summer camp 2019.

We say thank you to our sponsors and all who have made this year’s camp the success that it was. To Turks and Caicos Banking Company, Donna Seim, Mario Smith and the Department of Agriculture, Turks and Caicos National Trust, Turks and Caicos Cricket Association, Beaches Resort, Sunshine Nursery, David Bowen, Ian Harrison, Dekkel Simmons, Blovena Greene, Lloyd Stubbs, Ron Higgs, Tatiana Stubbs, Witlene Williams, Guilmese Gustave and Thania Phanord, thank you!

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Grub, Grill & Good Times to be an Annual Event

Thursday, 22 August 2019 by

The July 20th event held up to its name of Grub, Grill and Good Times. The event was a great success. Front Street was lined with with vendors participating in a chicken and conch fritter cook-off. Liv’s Kitchen was the big winner taking home the prize money for both categories. Everyone that attended enjoyed the food, drinks and live band “Island Vibes”. The children played games and won prizes. Other Non-Profits participated to do some fund raising of their own making this a true community event. This will be an annual event and we expect it to be even better next year.

We want to thank the participants, judges and all the sponsors that donated raffle prizes, drinks and money to help make this event possible: Beaches, Blue Water Divers, Bohio, Drift Villa, Exclusive Escapes, Grand Turk Divers, Humpback Dive Shack, Jack Shack, Margaritaville, Misick Gas, Oasis Divers, Osprey Beach Hotel, Salt Raker, Sandbar, Morris Cottingham and Ministry of Tourism.  We especially thank everyone in the community that came out on a VERY hot day and supported the event.
 
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Children’s Club

Monday, 08 April 2019 by

The Grand Turk Monthly Children’s club for 2019 kicked off on Saturday February 16th. One of the projects for the club is to create a story book with the story and illustrations all to be completed by the children. They drew pictures and created an adventure for their characters.

On March 16th, the kids toured the museum with Director Dr. Michael Pateman.    The kids then did paintings and learned facts about whales, octopus and other marine life!

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Movie – Vanishing Sail – Provo – Saturday, March 30th

Tuesday, 05 March 2019 by

The Turks & Caicos National Museum and TCISA are presenting a showing of Vanishing Sail on Providenciales Saturday, March 30th.   

Saturday March 30th
Brayton Hall Theatre – Providenciales
Movie starts at – 7 PM
$20 General Admissions/$30 Balcony
Tickets can also be purchased in advance at the Museum on Provo
Snacks & Refreshments available for sale
Proceeds will be used towards the Museum’s new project on documenting the Boat Building Industry in The Turks and Caicos Islands and used for development of the museum on Providenciales. The documentary Vanishing Sail follows Alywn Enoe’s (in Carriacou) journey of determination and resilience over three years, from hauling trees with his sons, to a final traditional launching ceremony. Stories of the old Caribbean – trading by sail and smuggling contraband interweave a tribute to the independent spirit of a small island community.
It is our goal to document the Caicos Sloop industry and be able to preserve the methods through Museum displays and educational programming.
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Evening with the Expert – Grand Turk March 12th

Tuesday, 05 March 2019 by

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March 2019 Newsletter

Tuesday, 05 March 2019 by

Click here to see our March 2019 Newsletter https://conta.cc/2EDKB2E

 

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Celebrating 30 Years as Diving Partners

Friday, 26 May 2017 by

Catherine Chitwood of Tennessee and Vicki Durst of California first met in 1987 on a Costeau Project Ocean Search expedition in the British Virgin Islands. One of the sites that they dove on was the wreck of the Royal mail ship Rhone that wrecked in the 1867 hurricane.  They became fast friends and have been diving partners since then.

To celebrate 30 years diving together, they decided to meet in the Turks and Caicos, do a dive expedition and spend a few days vacationing. While touring the historical timeline at the museum’s office in Providenciales on May 26th, they were delighted to hear the story of about Jeremiah Murphy, pioneer, hard hat diver who salvaged the wreck of the Rhone mail ship a couple years after it had wrecked and also to learn that the bell from that ship is in the bell tower in Anglican Church in South Caicos.

What a lovely connection for these avid divers to find between the place that they first met and where they chose to celebrate thirty years as diving partners. We wish you many more great dives!

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The Museum is a publicly funded not for profit organization.

It is not a part of the Turks & Caicos Islands Government and receives no regular support from the Government. Only your Support makes it all possible. Become a supporter today — we can’t do it without your help.

Become a Supporter

The Colors of the Turks and Caicos Islands

RED was chosen to represent the nation’s capital, Grand Turk. The color is taken from the red/pink fruit found on the national plant, the Turks Head Cactus. They were once found in abundance on Grand Turk before they were removed to accommodate the salt ponds.

WHITE was chosen to represent Salt Cay. The color came from salt. The salt industry was largely responsible for populating the islands of Salt Cay, Grand Turk and South Caicos.

ORANGE was chosen to represent South and East Caicos. The color comes from the Spiny Lobster and fish and reflects the fishing industry in the “Big South.”

TAN was chosen to represent Middle Caicos. The color is taken from the raw material (thatch) that once covered the roofs of the houses. It is also used to make straw hats, baskets and brooms. Middle Caicos is known for the superior quality of native craftwork.

GREEN was chosen to represent North Caicos and Parrot Cay. The color is taken from the fruit trees and other types of trees that flourish in the most fertile of all the islands. North Caicos is also home of Wade’s Green Plantation, the most successful of Caicos Islands cotton plantations.

TURQUOISE was chosen to represent the islands of Providenciales, Pine Cay and West Caicos. The color is taken from the beautiful turquoise waters that surround these islands on which our famous Caicos fishing sloops sail. These turquoise waters also contribute to our newest industry, tourism.

PINK was chosen to represent the beautiful conch shell, flamingoes and the numerous uninhabited cays that make up our chain of islands.

YELLOW represents God’s glory as the sun shining down on all our beautiful islands and cays. The sun also contributes to our newest industry, tourism.

View a timeline of important events and dates in the history of the islands

View Timeline

A Few Artifacts You’ll See at the Museum

Our collections represent the rich historical, cultural and natural heritage of the Turks and Caicos Islands and its people.

Lucayan Duho

Photo courtesy of Joanna Ostapkowicz. The Duho is one of the rarest artifacts in the museum’s collections. It was used a ceremonial seat for the cacique or chief of the Lucayans, the first inhabitants of these islands.

Fresnel Lens

The Grand Turk Lighthouse was erected in 1852 and was originally designed to burn whale oil and had an Argand reflector lamp. In 1943 the lighthouse was converted to a Fresnel Lens one of these lenses is now on display at the Museum.

Swivel Gun

The Molasses reef wreck, an early Spanish Caravel was equipped with three types of breech-loading swivel guns, one type is shown above. The swivel guns are thought to be anti-personnel weapons placed wherever convenient along the ship’s rail.

Salt Industry Post Card

The museum has diverse collection of early postcards of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Most post cards depict scenes on Grand Turk, the capital and from the salt industry.

Take a Look
TCI Governor

Governor of the Turks & Caicos Islands

H.E. Nigel Dakin CMG

The Turks & Caicos Islands National Museum on Grand Turk surely stands in one of the most majestic settings of any museum, anywhere! Perched on the edge of the Columbus Landfall national park. The 200-year-old building, “Guinep Lodge”, which houses a multitude of artifacts covering everything from the pre–Columbian Indians to the modern age, is a museum in its own right. The west facing building has stood firm and witnessed 200+ years of incredible TCI sunsets and has withstood every major hurricane since before records began.

The National Museum plays a vital role in recovering, preserving, recording and displaying the history of these island for all to see, enjoy and learn from. The museum’s archive is a veritable treasure trove of information, with enough information to fill two museums. With thousands of pre-Columbian artifacts from multiple archeological digs from around the TCI over the last 50 years, un-displayed artifacts from ancient warships, parish records or births, deaths and marriages dating back over 200 years; a veritable gold mine of information, just waiting to be discovered.

The museum is not only an exhibition facility for local history and artifacts, but also undertakes important work in the community with multiple events throughout the year and supports all the TCI schools, has a regular summer camp and kids club for our budding historians and archeologists of tomorrow.  The Grand Turk location includes a “science building” which is a fully fledged restoration facility to stabilize artifacts before they are displayed or stored in the archive. All of this work has been quietly undertaken since the museum was founded 30 years ago. There is also a campus on Provo and there are exciting plans underway to construct a new, multimillion dollar purpose-built facility for the wider enjoyment of our fascinating history. The Governor’s Office is proud to have supported the TCNMF over the years with vital capital projects.

Whether you are a local, or a visitor to our beautiful shores; I encourage you to visit and support the Turks & Caicos National Museum and absorb our colorful and surprisingly diverse local history.


H E Nigel Dakin CMG

Governor of the Turks & Caicos Islands

Minister for Tourism, Heritage & Culture for inclusion on the museum website

Hon. Josephine Connnolly

"It is a pleasure as Minister with responsibility of Heritage to welcome you to the Turks and Caicos Islands National Museum website. This Gem of an operation is perhaps the most notable establishment in regards to sites of historical interest. Since its establishment in 1991 it has always been an intricate part of our tourism product.

As a supporter, I believe the National Museum’s success depends on all resident and visitors; and as Minister I am committed to strengthening our tourism product through the infusion of authenticity and the increase in awareness of the National Museum in the development of heritage assets for sustainable tourism development.

Visit and explore the Grand Turk and Providenciales locations and experience our heritage and culture through interactive displays and exhibits. Special thanks is extended to the National Museum, a tangible product, a repository for artefacts and documents, providing a true island experience.".

Hon. Josephine Connnolly
Minister for Tourism, Heritage & Culture for inclusion on the museum website

President of Turks and Caicos Islands Community College

Dr. Hubert A. Fulford

"My interest in history and research goes back to my years as a student at the then Grand Turk Secondary School, where my teacher and later mentor, the late Helena Jones Robinson instilled a curiosity in me to appreciate context.  At that time, not fully appreciating the impact that curiosity would have on me, I sought only to please my teacher.

Pursuing tertiary education at various institutions, in various countries and at various levels, my initial foundation of inquiry was further stimulated.  Libraries and museums would form a very important part of my education, specifically during my studies in Jamaica, Canada and the United Kingdom.

Returning home after my studies abroad, my first visit to the Museum so captivated me that I began to tell all persons, visitors and islanders alike, that a visit to the museum was a MUST! The quaintness, yet thorough organization and presentation of artifacts of various kinds avowed me.

I found tremendous joy in taking my TCI Studies students to the Museum, standing back and listening to their expressions of excitement and curiosity as the curators and assistants would walk them through the various displays and presentations.

The Jamaican expression “likkle but tallawah” (small but strong) aptly fits our Museum.  The significance of this institution to our history and culture cannot be over stressed.

Welcome to The Museum.  A combination of history, culture and enchantment awaits you."

Dr. Hubert A. Fulford

President of Turks and Caicos Islands Community College

Historic Photo Gallery of the Turks and Caicos Islands

All images and the design of this Web site are protected under federal copyright laws. Any downloading, duplication or reproduction of any part of this Web site by any method whatsoever without the expressed written permission of the Turks & Caicos National Museum Foundation is strictly prohibited. Photos and/or usage rights are available for purchase please contact us for details.

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Locations

Guinep House, Front Street

Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos Islands, British West Indies (BWI)
Tel (01 649) 247-2160
From the US (786) 220-1159
Hours Vary - See our schedule under Locations

The Village at Grace Bay

Development Office and Caicos Heritage House
Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands, British West Indies (BWI)
Tel (01 649) 247-2161
Grace Bay Hours: See Hours For This Location

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