African Heritage House: A Premier Culture House 

Nestled within Mlolongo town is a dominant, mustard-yellow structure. It glares at the Nairobi National Park from dusk to dawn, only changing its colour to different hues as the sun rises and sets. This is the African Heritage House.

Listed as a national monument in 2015, the House represents more than what its name offers. For starters, in it, you’ll find invaluable African art collections that boast craftsmanship as well as the curators’ top-tier taste for artwork.

A Brief History

The creative minds behind this distinctive building are two ardent patrons of African art: Joseph Murumbi and Alan Donovan. They banded together to create what would become an art manor.

Murumbi is known by several cohorts of Kenyans as a pioneer leader in independent Kenya. Above this is his enthusiasm toward museums and art. He served as the country’s first vice president; but beyond politics, he was deep in the art space – not so much as an artist but a collector of art. His collections are a reminder of his passion, with a good number housed at the Murumbi Art Gallery and Kenya National Archives, both located in the Nairobi CBD.

Donovan was a graduate of multiple disciplines, from African Art to International Marketing, and Journalism and Political Science – all from the University of California Los Angeles. He came to Kenya in 1967 as a relief officer for the US State Department, but his knack for art allowed him to explore beyond his daily duties. He quit his job two years after he arrived. In 1970, he ventured into art collection and showcase.

At the time, Murumbi had also resigned from his position as vice president. When Donovan set up an art exhibition in Turkana, the two crossed paths – certainly the perfect meeting point for two art connoisseurs. Out of their shared love for cultural material, they set up a company, African Heritage Ltd, and began pursuing art-related projects. Among these was the African Heritage House.

The duo opened the original House in 1973 along Kenyatta Avenue (where I&M Towers now sits). But in 1976, faulty electricals caused the inevitable, and the three years of work went down the drain. Undeterred, Murumbi and Donovan continued the work of expanding their brand and excelled in managing several galleries under the African Heritage Gallery – which was one of the banners within their company.

Architectural Marvel

While plans to reconstruct the Heritage House were in mind, they hadn’t taken precedence. Though at the time, Donovan was keen on building a home and identified an ideal location in the Mlolongo area. An idea came to mind: why not build a house that would also serve as an art manor?

Construction began in 1989 with the design of a three-storey home that borrowed from different African architectural structures. As more developments on the project took place, some onlookers said the House was taking after the infamous Great Mosque of Djenne (the world’s largest mud brick building, built in the 13th century).

Unfortunately, Murumbi didn’t get to see the finished building – which was completed in 1994, four years after his death. Despite the efforts of the duo, the government was still not prioritising art preservation. And this propelled the demise of the African Heritage Gallery.

Still, Donovan’s commitment to both art and subsequently cultural preservation strengthened. He put up a spirited fight to secure the gazettement of the House. His unrelenting efforts bore fruit in 2015. Donovan passed away in 2021 at the age of 83 having ventured into art education. At the time he working as a lecturer of African Art at Strathmore University.

A Monumental Splendour

Today, the African Heritage House still stands in all its magnificence.

The interior of the house features fabulous collections of African art. There is everything from hundreds of years old posters, weaponry, jewellery, clay vessels, hand-woven fabrics, embroidered ceremonial robes, and headdresses to artefacts from around the African continent. It has impressed multitudes of visitors and even acquired the nickname ‘The most photographed house in Africa’.

The building’s intricate engravings are part of its unique earthen building techniques. The detailing of these etchings invites the eye to explore the beauty of traditional, mud designs. They provide full aesthetic value with their designs greeted by the vastness of the expanse within its surroundings which meets the eye with eerie excitement. But the best part? It provides stupendous views.

Indeed, this monument is an emblem of African art and culture. As a monument, it venerates the actions and efforts taken towards cultural preservation beyond national boundaries.

Have you visited this special art monument? Let us know!

Image credit: Capital FM