The rich heritage of Barbados offers more than brilliant sunshine, turquoise seas, and golden sands. 

Families can visit the great white lion at Gun Hill. The lion is a symbol of British rule on the island. The artist was also a soldier and is said to have carved the statute from a single block of stone, using a lion drawn on a book of matches as his guide.

The Barbados Museum is also a site that will captivate visitors of all ages. Once the British Detention Barracks, many of the museum's galleries are housed in renovated prison cells. There is a marble fountain here that was once part of a Synagogue, a caricature of German officers nearly one hundred years old, and beautiful paintings. There is also a live theatre show in the courtyard entitled, "1627 and all that".

Close to the heart of American history buffs might be the temporary residence of United States President George Washington. Barbados was the only international trip Washington ever took. At the young age of nineteen, he spent six weeks here with his brother. If you'd like to see where the great man stayed, just look for the office building east of the Garrison. It still has a ruin of a sugar mill in the parking lot and a breathtaking view of Carlisle Bay.

There are many more historical sites to see on Barbados. Read our Picturesque Parks page for a brief overview of the great plantation houses open to touring, or browse the Fascinating Factories page for operational sugar mills and rum distilleries to visit.


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