The National Museum Jamaica is the national agent for the collection, preservation and documentation of Jamaica’s material culture and aims to stimulate serious research and reflection on Jamaica’s history and contemporary life. As the repository of Jamaica’s National Collection, the National Museum Jamaica houses over 17, 000 historic, ethnographic and archaeological artifacts that are germane to Jamaica’s material culture from the prehistoric era to the contemporary. The work of the museum is focused in three areas: Preservation, Research and Communication through education programmes.

The St. James Parish Church, which is dedicated to St. James the Great (patron Saint of Spain), was built between 1775 and 1782. The Church is constructed of white limestone and is of the Greek cross plan with a bell tower at the west end. The building also has large, round-headed sash windows and an elaborate Palladian window is behind the altar at the west end. The Church was severely damaged in the earthquake of 1951, but repair work resulted in only minor departures from the original design.

A bold historic stone structure in the heart of Montego Bay, the Cage was built in 1806 and was originally used as a temporary lockup for runaway slaves, disorder seamen and other so called vagrants. Initially, the Cage was made of wood, but it is said that it was so badly damaged by its occupants that a stone structure had to be built to replace it. In 1811 a belfry was also installed. This bell was rung as a warning for the country slaves to leave town! It was rung at 2:00 pm and again at 3:00 pm, after which any so called, vagrant blacks, found on the streets were locked up!