Good to know
Good to Know
- House of Wonders is currently under restoration; confirm status before planning visit
- Guided tours provide essential context in Stone Town's labyrinthine streets and often include museum fees
- Average sightseeing and entertainment costs approximately 33,159 TZS (≈$13 USD) per person per day based on traveler reports
- Many museums are modest and dusty but authentic; not polished tourist venues
- Slave Market site is emotionally heavy but crucial to understanding Zanzibar's complex history
- Stone Town is small enough to explore in 1–2 days but rewards slow exploration and getting lost in alleyways
- Freddie Mercury Museum is one of most Instagram-popular sites; expect crowds, especially daytime
Museums
Natural History Museum
- Note
- Often visited alongside the Peace Memorial Museum; considered basic but historically interesting
- Description
- Displays on Zanzibar's wildlife, ecology, and natural environment. Collection includes preserved fish, coral specimens, stuffed leopard, and historical maps showing coastline changes.
Peace Memorial Museum (National Museum)
- Description
- Houses wide collection of Zanzibar's natural history and artifacts. Built in 1925 as a memorial to WWI peace accords.
Tanzanite Museum & Jewelry Shop
- Location
- Stone Town
- Description
- Small but attractive museum focused on tanzanite, a gemstone rarer than diamonds found only in Tanzania's Mererani Hills. Features a replica mine experience and geological origins explanation.
Princess Salme Museum
- Location
- Stone Town
- Description
- Dedicated to Princess Salme (1844–), a sultan's daughter who fled to marry a German merchant and wrote the first known autobiography by an Arab woman. Curated by historian Said al Gheithy.
Kibweni Palace Museum
- Location
- North of Stone Town, on Kenyatta Road
- Description
- Showcasing collected treasures while House of Wonders and Palace Museum are closed for restoration. Displays include carved Zanzibari furniture, sultans' living rooms, Persian rugs, and diplomatic gifts.
Sultan's Tomb Museum
- Description
- Small museum behind the closed Palace Museum with freshly painted graveyard where nine of Zanzibar's former rulers are buried. Modern air-conditioned exhibition on 12 sultans' lives and deaths.
Highlights
- Intricate Arabic calligraphy on tombstones
- Information panels on maritime power and Omani rule
Art Galleries
Dr. Bulugu Gallery
- Location
- Stone Town alleyways
- Description
- Art gallery in Stone Town featuring unique paintings and art pieces. Visitors praise quality of work and customer service.
Henna Art Studio
- Location
- Above studio in Stone Town
- Description
- Traditional henna body art studio with paintings translating henna designs. Features Tingatinga animal paintings and Stone Town door paintings.
Walking Tours
2–3 Hours Typically
- Type
- Private guided walking tours
- Typical Cost
- TZS 78,750
- Note
- Museum entrance fees usually included in tour price. Guides available through ZanziTaxi, Viator, GetYourGuide, and local operators. Recommended for first-time visitors due to confusing maze of streets.
Highlights
- House of Wonders
- Old Fort
- Palace Museum
- Slave Market site & Anglican Cathedral
- Freddie Mercury's house
- Darajani Market
- Forodhani Gardens
- Narrow historic streets
Group and Self-guided Options
- Description
- Walk at own pace or join group tours. Stone Town is small (walkable end-to-end in ~20 minutes) with ~30,000 residents. GPS helpful but experienced guides provide richer historical context.
Must See Sites
Stone Town
- Location
- Western shore of Unguja Island (main island)
- Description
- UNESCO World Heritage Site and historic heart of Zanzibar. The old capital district features narrow winding streets, ornately carved wooden doors, and a blend of African, Arab, Indian, Persian, and European architecture dating primarily to the 19th century.
Highlights
- Narrow alleyways and historic buildings
- Forodhani Gardens waterfront promenade
- Darajani Market (built 1902–1911)
House of Wonders (Beit-al-Ajaib)
- Description
- Largest building in Zanzibar, built in 1883 by Sultan Bargash bin Said. The structure is notable as the first building in East Africa to have an elevator. Currently undergoing restoration; check status before visiting.
Highlights
- Restored 2010–2012, currently closed for restoration
- Features exhibition halls on Zanzibar's history and culture
- Panoramic views of Stone Town and harbor from top floor
Palace Museum (Sultan's Palace)
- Description
- Former official residence of the Sultan of Zanzibar (1911–1964, then renamed People's Palace). Now a museum preserving royal artifacts and lifestyle of the Sultanate era.
Highlights
- 3-storey building on the waterfront
- Royal furniture, jewelry, and diplomatic gifts
- Display on Princess Salme's life
Old Fort (Arab Fort)
- Location
- Next to House of Wonders, facing Forodhani Park
- Description
- One of the oldest and most historic structures in Stone Town, built by Omani Arabs in 1699 after expelling the Portuguese. Used as a garrison, prison, and railway terminal (1905–1928). Now features an open-air amphitheater and market stalls.
Slave Market Site & Anglican Cathedral
- Note
- Guided tour included with admission; emotional and educational site
- Description
- The Anglican Cathedral (built 1874) stands on the site of the former slave market, the last permanent slave market in East Africa (closed 1873). Museum includes former slave chambers and exhibition on the history of slavery in Zanzibar.
Highlights
- Slave chambers where enslaved people were kept
- Extensive exhibition on East African slave trade
- Beautiful Anglican Cathedral with intricate details
Freddie Mercury's House Museum
- Location
- Gizenga Street, Stone Town
- Description
- Childhood home of Farrokh Bulsara (Freddie Mercury of Queen), born in Zanzibar in 1946. Museum opened in 2019 with photographs, performance footage, stage outfits, personal letters, and memorabilia.
Highlights
- Rare performance footage and photographs
- Original stage costumes and grand piano
- Letters revealing Mercury's childhood in Zanzibar
Old Dispensary
- Location
- Stone Town waterfront
- Description
- 19th-century charitable dispensary with distinctive peppermint-green latticework balconies and sculpted clock tower. Architectural landmark combining Indian and European design elements.
Forodhani Gardens
- Location
- Facing House of Wonders and Old Fort
- Description
- Popular waterfront public space and social hub for locals and tourists. Free to visit; ideal for sunset viewing and exploring food vendors in the evening.
Practical Tips
Practical Tips
- Stone Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site best explored on foot; cars cannot navigate narrow streets
- Early morning (8–9 AM) offers fewer crowds and cooler temperatures for walking tours
- Many historic buildings are slowly deteriorating; Stone Town Conservation Authority coordinates restorations
- Carved wooden doors are iconic architectural feature; photograph respectfully and ask permission if people are nearby
- Modest dress recommended (long pants/skirts, covered shoulders) out of respect for local Muslim culture
- Most museums and sites are within 10 minutes walking distance in Stone Town proper
- Combine museum visits with Forodhani Gardens for evening food vendors and sunset views
- Allow 1–2 days minimum to appreciate Stone Town's history and architecture meaningfully
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this history, museums & sightseeing research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Zanzibar
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.