Trinidad and Tobago Carnival Museum closes Penny Bank venue over funding challenges

Trinidad and Tobago: The Trinidad and Tobago Carnival Museum is closing down at the Penny Bank after continued difficulties to secure financial support. It stopped welcoming visitors on October 1 and will remain closed until further notice.

This decision follows a long struggle to obtain any assistance from the Government and private sector. Kenny Attai, Museum Director and Chairman of the Steering Committee, said that the museum was able to stay open with the help of volunteers and contributions.

“Through a few friends and well-wishers along with our own personal funding and the tremendous outreach of volunteers we were able to keep the museum open to the public this year,” explained the Museum Director.

The museum is a non-governmental organization founded in 2021 to showcase the carnival history of Trinidad and Tobago. The historic Penny Bank building was given to the museum in 2022 to create a dedicated carnival museum.

Renovation work on the building is nearly 80 per cent complete, following an early grant from the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and the Arts. Prior to the closure of the museum, it hosted seven exhibitions, welcomed more than 20 school visits, and recorded over 4,000 visitors.

Even though the physical space may have closed, the museum has confirmed that its virtual operations will continue. Updates on ongoing projects will be shared through its website and social media accounts.

Kenny Attai appreciated all the support that the volunteers, organizations, suppliers and other partners provided to the museum. “We take this opportunity to once again thank all those who believed in the mission and partnered or collaborated with us in creating a Home for Carnival so that our rich cultural heritage can be preserved,” he added.

The museum said that its long-term objective is to create a larger institution to preserve the history and culture of Trinidad and Tobago’s Carnival.