SULTAN PALACE MUSEUM
One of several royal palaces, this (and its predecessors on the same site) served as the “town house” of the Busaidi Sultans, looking out across the harbour. Part of a palace complex it was the main official residence within the Stone Town. The museum is furnished in what would have been typical nineteenth century style for members of the royal family. Sultan Said and some of his descendants lie buried in the palace graveyard.
THE PEACE MEMORIAL MUSEUM
Located on Creek Road near the intersection of Kuanda Road and designed by the same architect who designed the High Court, J. H. Sinclair, the National Museum is home to many of Zanzibar's memorabilia including, most notably, Livingstone's medical chest. Also on display are a piece of Zanzibar's (and East Africa's first) railroad, and an old, palm oil-powered bicycle lamp. For history buffs it's a great place to read up on Zanzibar's history as it relates to everything from slavery, the royal families, coins, stamps, local crafts, trade and the many and varied colonial years. Next door to the museum is a small Natural History museum that includes some stuffed and jarred specimens along with a few bones, including those of a dodo. The only live specimens are the large land tortoises that live outside in a large cage. If your trip doesn't allow you to get to Prison Island – make sure you swing by the Peace Memorial Museum to check out the big tortoises – they're the only ones in town!
