We Culture

In a small courtyard on the lively Maho strip, a short walk from the beach where the planes land, We Culture tells the story of Caribbean Carnival, which began as an act of resistance during slavery before becoming the celebration of costumes and parades we know today. The museum covers more than 8,000 square feet of air-conditioned space and takes 45 minutes to visit.

The visit starts at the Caribbean Fun Bar, where Caribbean rums, spirits and beers, as well as non-alcoholic drinks, are complimentary for the whole visit, in front of footage of past carnivals. You then enter the Costume Museum, the largest room: dozens of costumes handmade by the founders, who have more than 50 years of Carnival experience. In the center, workbenches show how they are made, bead by bead and feather by feather, like in a Carnival workshop.

Beyond it, The Vault holds the raw materials: beads, fabrics, feathers and tools from around the world. The History Rooms gather costume pieces, original designs and newspaper clippings, some of them 75 years old. The Music Rooms trace steelpan, soca, reggae and calypso with instruments and recordings, and the art gallery shows paintings of Carnival and Caribbean folklore by artist Larysa Malsagova.

You can play instruments, dance to the music and try on costumes for photos, with a changing area set aside for it. The museum offers a tour guided by a Carnival expert or a self-guided visit, starting at 9 a.m., 10:15 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12:45 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3:15 p.m., Monday to Saturday. The booking link on this page is for the guided tour: USD 40 per adult, USD 25 for ages 12 to 16, USD 15 for ages 5 to 11, free under 5.