Hotels near Karen Blixen Museum

The Karen Blixen Museum is the preserved 1912 farmhouse where Danish author Karen Blixen (Isak Dinesen) lived 1914-1931 - the setting of her memoir Out of Africa (1937) and the 1985 film starring Meryl Streep. The colonial-era bungalow on a 6000-hectare coffee estate (most of which is now the Karen suburb named after her) is preserved as it was when she left. Original furniture, photographs, and Blixen's writing desk are on display.

The garden retains the original 12 jacaranda trees and the view to the Ngong Hills (Blixen wrote my farm sits at the foot of the Ngong Hills in the famous opening line). The film's production used the actual house for several scenes; props from the film are on display in a side gallery. Admission 1200 KES adults. Open daily 09:30-18:00. Allow 90 minutes including the gardens.

Pro Tip: Read Out of Africa or watch the film before visiting - the museum context is dramatically richer with the source material familiar. The Karen Blixen Coffee Garden restaurant 1 km away (in another colonial bungalow) serves an excellent lunch surrounded by the coffee plants Blixen would have known.