Walvis Bay Museum

The Walvis Bay Museum is a small regional museum run by the town’s municipality, on the lower level of the public library on Nangolo Mbumba Avenue. It won’t fill a day, but it is a good hour if the wind is up on the lagoon or you have time to kill before a boat trip. It gives some background to a port town most visitors only pass through.

What to expect

The collection is broad rather than deep. On the history side there is material on Walvis Bay itself, maritime history, Namib archaeology, ethnology objects, 19th-century household items, textiles, war memorabilia, archive papers and some paintings. The natural science cases hold gemstones, rocks and minerals, animal bones and skins, sea shells and marine fossils. For a long time it was little more than a display room. The municipality only appointed a full-time curator in October 2008, and since then the museum has had a big overhaul, with existing exhibitions upgraded, new ones added and an education resource centre set up.

Practical details

• Phone: +264 64 201 3273. Email museum@walvisbaycc.org.na.
• Open on weekdays from 9am, closing at 5pm or a little earlier (the published hours differ slightly, so phone if you are cutting it fine). It is not listed as open at weekends.
• Guided tours can be arranged for local and overseas visitors.

Good to know

This is a municipal museum, so treat it as a quick, low-key stop rather than a big attraction. Pair it with the lagoon just south-west of town, where the flamingos gather, or a climb up Dune 7.

Last updated 7 October 2026. Sources: Museums Association of Namibia, Walvis Bay Museum, Wikivoyage, Walvis Bay, Wikipedia, Walvis Bay.