Pompey Museum of Slavery & Emancipation

Located in the heart of downtown Nassau, the Pompey Museum of Slavery & Emancipation provides a rich telling of the history of slavery within the Bahamas. The historic building that the museum is located within, known as the Vendue House, was built in 1769 and was utilized during the 18th and 19th centuries as a venue for slave auctions. The building became a museum in 1992 and not only chronologically details the history of slavery within the Bahamas, but also delves into the forms of slavery that exist within society today.

When we first entered the museum, we were instantly greeted by the desk attendant. We had seen on the website that the cost of entrance for the museum was $3 but noticed that the sign on the desk stated that the cost was actually $5. We, fortunately, had extra cash on hand and were able to pay the entrance fee. Updating the website to reflect the true pricing would be a very easy fix to an issue, such as this one, that might prohibit or discourage individuals interested in visiting the museum.

As we were trying to figure out where to start in the museum, the desk attendant told us to start on the left-hand side of the room, then go through the center exhibit, and finish with the information on the right-hand side. We walked to the left and started clicking on a large screen panel to read the beginning history of slavery in the Bahamas. Each slide was incredibly dense with information and included several other tabs on the right-hand side and bottom that were just as detailed. Although the information was very interesting, it was difficult to keep track of which tabs we had already selected and the amount of reading was extremely lengthy. Condensing the material on the panels would help to keep readers engaged and organizing the tabs, potentially through color-coding, could better help individuals keep track of which tabs they had already selected. Additionally, adding an interactive portion to the material on either side of the museum beside the panels could help guests learn more about the history of slavery through other mediums.

After we had finished reading the panels and looking through the artifacts on the left-hand side of the room, we approached the center exhibit. We were unsure of where to begin and which order we should read the panels in. In order to alleviate this confusion, having signs to clearly demarcate where to begin and numbering each panel could help guests better navigate this portion of the museum. 

Overall, the Pompey Museum is an excellent place to learn more about the history of slavery within the Bahamas, but a couple of internal improvements could be beneficial to ameliorate the customer experience of the museum.