Trench Town Culture Yard

Trench Town was built as public housing in the 1940s and 1950s, laid out as government yards with shared kitchens and courtyards, and it became the crucible of Jamaican popular music: Bob Marley lived here, and so did Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, Alton Ellis and Delroy Wilson, among many others. The Culture Yard at First Street is the yard where Marley lived, kept as a museum by the community trust that runs it, with his room, the communal kitchen, a burnt-out Volkswagen van the Wailers used, and murals. The guides are people from the neighbourhood and the tour is as much about the yard system and the community as about the musicians.

What you actually see

• Marley's room - the single room he lived in, in the yard.
• The communal yard - the shared kitchen and courtyard layout.
• The Wailers van - the burnt-out VW in the yard.
• The murals - community painting through the surrounding streets.

When to go

Year-round, on weekdays during the day. Tours are arranged in advance through the trust or through a Kingston guide. Trench Town Rock Festival and Marley's birthday in February bring events.

Honest expectations

Trench Town has a difficult reputation and the sensible approach is to arrange the visit in advance and arrive with a driver or guide rather than making your own way; the yard itself is welcoming, the surrounding area needs care. The museum is small and modestly funded. Tours depend on who is available on the day. Photograph people only after asking.

Nearby

Downtown Kingston is ten minutes; the National Gallery is on the waterfront.