3 Best Sights in New Providence and Paradise Islands, Bahamas

The building, where slave auctions were held in the 1700s, is named for an enslaved man who led a plantation rebellion on Exuma in 1830. The structure and historic artifacts inside were destroyed by fire in December 2011 but have been painstakingly re-created, and new exhibits have been acquired and produced. The exhibit Struggle for Freedom in The Bahamas: From Slavery to Independence is located on the ground floor, and a separate exhibit that changes from time to time and has its own admission charge is upstairs. A knowledgeable, enthusiastic young staff is on hand to answer questions.

The octagonal building near Parliament Square was the Nassau Gaol (the old British spelling for jail), circa 1797. You're welcome to pop in and browse. The small prison cells are now lined with books. The museum has an interesting collection of historic prints and old colonial documents.

So many artifacts are on display in this small but interesting museum nestled in historic Mountbatten House that you can easily spend an hour wandering. There is a 40-minute guided tour that covers Bahamian history from the days of pirates through the slavery era to the present. One of the best exhibits is the life-size replica of the old Bay Street General Store. By a series of coincidences, the collection box from the country's oldest church ended up in this museum—right across the street from the remains of the very same church.