The architecturally designed bungalow was built in 1912 by Swedish engineer Ake Sjogren. In 1917, Karen and Baron Blixen, purchased it with the idea of running a coffee plantation. The Blixen’s separated in 1921 but Karen continued to run the plantation until she left for Denmark in 1931. Her life is well covered in her books’ Out of Africa and Shadows of the Grass.
In 1964, the house was donated to the then Kenyan government by the Danish government as an independence gift.
The book Out of Africa was later produced, directed and released in film in 1985. In 1986, following its success, the house was declared a National museum. It should however be noted that this house wasn’t used in filming of the movie but a nearby house, Mbagathi, where Karen previously resided.
