Rebuilding the Ware Living Museum after ‘Beryl’
Published:Tuesday | October 14, 2025 | 12:07 AM
The island’s first living museum, which has been in development for the past six years in Southfield, St Elizabeth, was severely damaged by Hurricane Beryl on July 3, 2024. However, amid the destruction, the organising group, the WARE Collective, has started to rebuild.
WARE comprised a cross-section of passionate Jamaicans who have been working to restore centuries-old Spanish wall buildings in the parish, to create a transformative and intergenerational heritage attraction for visitors and locals.
“Living museums are often outdoor, immersive and interactive historical experiences. This project is unique to Jamaica and amplifies our built heritage and traditional craft. We have sustained the project without core operational funding, but with the hard work of community members, volunteers and modest fundraising. Like an old guango tree, our community’s roots run deep and wide. We are committed despite these significant setbacks,” said Georgia Love, executive officer, WARE Collective.
The group was nominated for Give to Jamaica Week from October 18 to 24, which is a first-of-its-kind online giving platform created to mobilise Jamaicans everywhere to give back directly to trusted charities and schools on the island. Anchored around Jamaica’s National Heroes Day, the campaign sets out to harness the collective power of the diaspora by spotlighting vetted organisations that address education, healthcare, arts and culture, as well as community development.
In an effort to raise funds, the WARE Collective has launched the ‘Hands for Heritage’ campaign for the Give to Jamaica Week.
“We are rapidly losing historic buildings and traditional craft which are important parts of our culture,” Love said, adding that the collective hopes to raise US$10,000 to preserve three vital pieces for the living museum — a community stone oven, rebuild the historic Vassell House destroyed by Hurricane Beryl, and develop new museum exhibits.