The Karen Blixen Museum at a glance
The museum stands in Karen, at the foot of the Ngong Hills. The stone house was built in 1912. Karen and Bror Blixen took it over in 1917, and coffee was grown on the farm until 1931. The author later wrote about the farm in her book, and the 1985 film Out of Africa made the house known worldwide. The museum was founded in 1986 and is run by the National Museums of Kenya.
The museum is open every day from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., public holidays included. Payment is cashless through eCitizen. Tickets are sold by visitor category, and the rates changed on 7 May 2026. If you are planning a day around the national park, see our Nairobi tours for options that fit a museum stop.
What you see inside and in the garden
A house museum with a coffee farm behind it.
The historic rooms
The rooms hold period furniture, kitchen and household objects from the farm years. Guided visits of the house and garden are part of the offer.
Coffee farm tools
The grounds show equipment from the coffee farm. An old blue tractor with yellow wheels stands on the grounds.
Indigenous trees
Native trees in the garden are marked, so you can learn the names as you walk.
Our pick: a Karen Blixen Museum visit
A short guided visit to the museum, with pickup at your hotel.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Karen Blixen Museum and Nairobi sightseeing tours
City, wildlife and museum tours around Nairobi, with live prices and availability.
Karen Blixen Museum tickets and prices in 2026
Prices from 7 May 2026, adult and child.
| Visitor category | Adult | Child |
|---|---|---|
| Kenyan and East African citizens | KES 550 | KES 300 |
| Residents and the rest of Africa | $9 | $6 |
| Visitors from outside Africa | $17 | $8 |
The Karen Blixen Museum and Fort Jesus share one rate group. That does not make a combined ticket between Nairobi and Mombasa. The age limit for the child rate is best checked when you buy.
Online tickets are personal, cannot be transferred and are not refundable. They are valid for one date, and you show ID at the entrance. The booking portal adds an access fee on top of the ticket price. If the page shows 0.00 KES before you pick a category, that is not a free ticket. For most visitors from abroad, budget $17 per adult and buy online before the day.
Out of Africa and the film connection
What the film does and does not tell you.
The house is linked to the book that Karen Blixen wrote about her years in Kenya and to the 1985 film made from it. That link is why many visitors come. It does not mean that every scene of the film was shot here, so treat the museum as the author's home and farm rather than a film set.
Come for the history of the house, the farm and the people who lived and worked there. If you know the book or the film, the visit adds context. If you do not, the guided tour explains the story.
Getting to Karen
Give the driver the museum name and the suburb.
The museum is about 10 km from the city centre, but the distance is approximate and does not give a drive time. Traffic in Nairobi changes the trip a lot, so allow extra time. For ticket fees and guided visits, buy ahead rather than at the gate. If you also plan a wildlife stop, our page on things to do in Nairobi shows how the main sights fit together.
The Karen Blixen Museum story in dates
From farmhouse to museum.
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1912 | The stone house is built |
| 1917 | Karen and Bror Blixen take over the farm |
| 1931 | Coffee growing on the farm ends |
| 1985 | The film Out of Africa is released |
| 1986 | The museum is founded |
| 2026 | New ticket rates apply from 7 May |
The dates tell you what to expect: a house from the early twentieth century, kept as a museum for four decades, with a coffee farm as its backdrop. It is a quiet stop that suits the hours when the park is hot or wet.
Karen Blixen Museum: frequently asked questions
How much is the Karen Blixen Museum ticket?
Since 7 May 2026 an adult ticket costs KES 550 for Kenyan and East African citizens, $9 for residents and the rest of Africa, and $17 for visitors from outside Africa. Children pay KES 300, $6 and $8.
What are the opening hours?
The museum is open every day from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., including public holidays.
Can I pay cash at the gate?
Payment is cashless through eCitizen. Buy your ticket online and bring ID.
Was Out of Africa filmed at the museum?
The house is tied to the book and the 1985 film, but that does not mean every scene was filmed there. Treat it as the author's home.
Is this the official website of the museum?
No. This is an independent guide with no connection to the National Museums of Kenya. The museum runs its own site and ticket portal.