The Saint Vincent and the Grenadines National Trust was established by an act of the Legislature in 1969, when the statute governing the Trust was passed. The National Trust has, at its heart, the preservation of the cultural, natural and architectural heritage of St. Vincent. The Trust is partly funded through Government, partly through membership fees and partly through donations and admission fees. The Carnegie Building, which is the headquarters of the St Vincent and the Grenadines National Trust, was built for use as a public library in 1909, paid for by Andrew Carnegie, the American industrialist and philanthropist. Carnegie was born in humble circumstances in Scotland in 1835. He educated himself in public libraries before making his fortune in iron and steel in the USA. Between 1883 and 1929 Carnegie built 2,509 libraries, including the one in St. Vincent. The building fell into disrepair in the late 20th century and a new modern library was built. The Carnegie building was saved when the Alliance Française made it their St. Vincent headquarters. Today, the Alliance Française still occupies the first floor of the building while the ground floor houses the National Trust.

Getting Here

Heading into the centre of Kingstown, the Carnegie Old Library Building is on Halifax Street, opposite the Bank of St Vincent and the Grenadines Opening Times: Mon-Thursday 9-5 Fridays 9-4 Closed on weekends and public holidays Admission Price: $5 EC entry ($2US)