The finest colonial structure in

Belize City Belize City is the largest city in Belize and was once the capital of the former British Honduras. According to the 2010 census, Belize City has a population of 57,169 people in 16,162 households. It is at the mouth of the Haulover Creek, wh ...

, Government House (now the House of Culture Museum) is said to have been built to plans by the illustrious British architect

Sir Christopher Wren Sir Christopher Wren PRS FRS (; – ) was one of the most highly acclaimed English architects in history, as well as an anatomist, astronomer, geometer, and mathematician-physicist. He was accorded responsibility for rebuilding 52 churche ...

with a combination of Caribbean Vernacular and English Urban architecture. Erected in 1814, it was first the residence of the

governor of British Honduras Belize Advertiser, 1839/41 This is a list of viceroys in British Honduras and Belize from the start of British settlement in the area until the colony's independence in 1981. Until 1862, the territory was under the vice-regency of the Governor of ...

and later the residence of the

Governor General Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy ...

, the Queen's representative in

Belize Belize (; bzj, Bileez) is a Caribbean and Central American country on the northeastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a wa ...

. After the rest of the government moved to

Belmopan Belmopan () is the capital city of Belize. Its population in 2010 was 16,451. In addition to being the smallest capital city in the continental Americas by population, Belmopan is the third-largest settlement in Belize, behind Belize City and S ...

in the wake of Hurricane Hattie (1961), the house later became a venue for social functions and a guest house for visiting VIPs. Eventually, the house was converted into a

historical museum A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance. Many public museums make these ...

. The museum features exhibits of colonial glassware, silverware, and furniture. It also houses a collection of archival records. Belize House in

became the

official residence An official residence is the House, residence of a head of state, head of government, governor, Clergy, religious leader, leaders of international organizations, or other senior figure. It may be the same place where they conduct their work-relate ...

of the

in 1984. Built in 1981, it was the former

British High Commission A British High Commission is a British diplomatic mission, equivalent to an embassy, found in countries that are members of the Commonwealth of Nations. Their general purpose is to provide diplomatic relationships as well as travel information, ...

References

Government House
Museum of Belize & Houses of Culture. Buildings and structures in Belize City Official residences in Belize Government Houses of the British Empire and Commonwealth Politics of British Honduras Monarchy in Belize {{Belize-struct-stub

See also

References