The Nassau Public Library and Museum, in

Nassau Nassau may refer to: Places Bahamas *Nassau, Bahamas, capital city of the Bahamas, on the island of New Providence Canada *Nassau District, renamed Home District, regional division in Upper Canada from 1788 to 1792 *Nassau Street (Winnipeg), ...

, is the largest and oldest of five libraries in the

Bahamas The Bahamas (), officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic. It takes up 97% of the Lucayan Archipelago's land area and is home to ...

. The library was founded in 1837, when the Bahamas Society for the Diffusion of Knowledge was combined with a reading society. The Nassau Public Library was made official in 1847 with the passing of the Nassau Public Library Act. Making it among the oldest Public Libraries in the Commonwealth Caribbean. Its building was once a colonial jail, dating back to 1797, when it became the first building in

Parliament Square Parliament Square is a square at the northwest end of the Palace of Westminster in the City of Westminster in central London. Laid out in the 19th century, it features a large open green area in the centre with trees to its west, and it contai ...

. "The building is said to have been inspired by the Old Powder Magazine in Williamsburg, Virginia." It was converted into a library in 1873.''Michelin Mustsees Bahamas''. Michelin Apa Publications. The small prison cells which once housed prisoners now contain old colonial documents, newspapers, books, charts,

Arawak The Arawak are a group of indigenous peoples of northern South America and of the Caribbean. Specifically, the term "Arawak" has been applied at various times to the Lokono of South America and the Taíno, who historically lived in the Greater ...

artifacts, and historic prints. "Since its conversion in 1837 from a hectic prison environment to that of a tranquil place of study, the library has seen an extensive increase in a variety of services, numerous technological advancements, vast expansion in study material, and many added special features all fully accessible to the general public."

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