Arts and crafts in Kenya
Arts and Crafts in Kenya offer a vibrant reflection of the country’s cultural diversity and creativity. From Maasai beadwork and Kisii soapstone carvings to Kikuyu basket weaving and Swahili wood carving, each craft tells a unique story.
Visitors can explore local markets, artisan workshops, and community cooperatives where they can watch artists at work or try their hand at traditional techniques. These experiences provide both cultural insight and the chance to support local livelihoods.
Kariokor Market – Nairobi
This bustling Maasai-run market is a kaleidoscope of colors and crafts just outside the city center. Expect to find intricately beaded necklaces, bracelets, leather sandals, and ornate masks on display.
Watch Maasai artisans weaving beadwork stands right in front of you. It’s a vibrant, interactive place to negotiate for authentic souvenirs.
Kazuri Beads Women’s Factory – Nairobi
Kazuri ("small & beautiful" in Swahili) empowers single mothers through ceramic bead production. Visitors tour the factory and studio to watch each bead being molded, glazed, and hand-painted by local women. The final products are showcased in an elegant showroom filled with colorful jewelry. Shopping here supports fair wages and ethical employment.
Bomas of Kenya – Nairobi
A cultural village showcasing traditional homes, music, dance, and handicrafts from Kenya’s 42 tribes. Visitors can watch daily performances, including acrobatic Maasai dancers and melodic Samburu tunes. Artisans create carvings, baskets, and jewelry in workshops on-site. It’s an immersive introduction to Kenya’s ethnic craftsmanship and performing arts.
Kitengela Glass Studio – Nairobi outskirts
An inspiring eco-art initiative turning recycled bottles into contemporary glass sculptures and home décor. Visitors can tour the backyard workshop to watch furnace glassblowing demonstrations. Don’t miss the interactive sessions where you can try shaping molten glass. It’s a creative blend of sustainability, skill, and affordable artistry.
Maasai Market – rotating locations, Nairobi
Kenya’s most iconic open-air artisan market, moving weekly between malls and parks across the city. It features Maasai beadwork, soapstone carvings, woven baskets, textiles, paintings, and jewelry from all over East Africa. Visitors can barter with wandering artisans and personalize purchases on the spot. It's a must-visit for authentic, locally made crafts.
Banana Hill Art Gallery – Limuru
This gallery brings together contemporary Kenyan artists in an inspiring hilltop setting. Visitors can view rotating exhibitions of paintings, sculptures, and mixed-media work. Local artists often host evening meet-and-greets or live painting sessions. It’s a refined space that highlights modern African creativity.
Akamba Handicraft Cooperative – Mombasa
Located near Fort Jesus, this center showcases the coastal craftsmanship of the Akamba people, renowned for wood carving. Expect to see artisans carve masks, figurines, furniture, and intricate doors from indigenous hardwoods. Visitors can also attend live demonstrations and discuss techniques with the artisans. It's a gateway into Swahili-Caribbean artistic traditions.
Lamu Artisan Workshops – Lamu Old Town
In the UNESCO-listed maze of Lamu, local woodcarvers, dhow craftsmen, and jewelers hone centuries-old Swahili traditions. Visitors can tour workshops to see coral-stone doors carved on-site, dhow hulls built by hand, and traditional jewelry made with coastal motifs. Many artisans offer classes where you can make your own small carving or souvenir. It’s a dive into living cultural heritage.
Kisii Soapstone Carving Workshops – Tabaka, Kisii
Tabaka, near Kisii, is the heart of Kenya’s soapstone carving industry. Visitors can tour family-run workshops to learn how rough soapstone is sculpted into bowls, vases, and animal figures. It’s hands-on—you can chip carvings yourself under guidance. Perfect for collectors of folk art and curious travelers.
Ushanga Kenya Initiative – Rift Valley
This community-driven project supports women in Kuresoi and Molo to preserve traditional beadwork. Guests can visit rural hubs where Maasai and other tribal women craft beaded jewelry and belt pieces. Visitors engage in beadwork sessions, learning patterns while supporting women’s economic independence. It fuses cultural immersion with empowerment.
Kikoy and Kanga Fabric Markets – Mombasa & Nairobi
These markets are vibrant hubs for choosing Swahili kikoys and kangas—bright, printed fabrics used in clothing and home wear. Visitors can shop and have tailors available to stitch custom items on-the-spot. You’ll also see local style—shawl-wrapped women, patterned skirts, and kids in colorful wraps. A great place for tailor-made souvenirs with personal flair.
Ngecha Artists Association – Kiambu County
A vibrant community of visual artists working in studios and homes just outside Nairobi. Visitors can tour private studios, view ongoing projects, and chat with emerging painters, sculptors, and illustrators. Exhibitions rotate frequently, and guests may paint alongside artists during open days. It’s an inspiring glimpse into Kenya’s contemporary artistic future.
Are you an art enthusiast?
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