On Thursday, April 20, 2023, the Antiquities Monuments & Museum Corporation (AMMC) and Central Bank participated in a ceremony to formally transfer management of Balcony House to AMMC. This change will enable AMMC to operate a gift shop and charge an entrance fee. Entrance fees will contribute to the preservation and conservation of this historic structure. Moreover, AMMC plans to offer educational programs to the public as well as enhance visitors’ experience at the museum by shedding greater light on the magnificent history held within the home’s walls. A tour of the museum and surrounding grounds followed the ceremony.
Balcony House is the oldest wooden residential building in The Bahamas, dating back 220 years. A colonial style structure, this beautiful home was designed in Loyalist era fashion. Balcony House was once owned by Stephen Dillet, one of the first persons of colour elected to the House of Assembly. Dillet is also the maternal grandfather of James Wheldon Johnson, who served as NAACP executive secretary for a decade, and who composed the lyrics for the Black national anthem “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”
In 1985, the Central Bank of The Bahamas acquired the home and began the process of restoring it. In 1994, the property was converted into a museum in conjunction with the Department of Archives.
AMMC thanks the Governor and the Central Bank for the gracious cooperation in this arrangement.
