Museum of Belize and Houses of Culture

Enhancing our cultural and historical heritage. Construction on Her Majesty’s Prison was started in 1855 and completed in 1857. The structure was built with bricks, known as “London Stocks” brought from England and used as ballast on ships. The Institution was called “Her Majesty’s Prison” (HMP). Each window in the building marked where there was a cell originally built for one man. In 1998, the Belize Government handed over the Old Prison to NICH and the Museum of Belize. For the next two years the old prison building was fully refurbished with the financial assistance from both Mexico and Taiwan. On February 5th, 2002, the Museum of Belize was officially declared open.