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Great house museum (status update) · Montego Bay

Greenwood Great House, Montego Bay: a local's guide

By Michael RainfordBorn and raised in JamaicaPrices & hours checked Sources

Temporarily closed for repairs. This attraction isn't open. The guide below explains what happened and where to go instead.

On this page
  1. My local take
  2. How to get there
  3. What to expect
  4. Local tips
  5. Before you go
  6. FAQ
  7. Sources

My local take

Greenwood is the quieter of the two great houses east of Montego Bay, and for many people the more interesting one. It was built between 1780 and 1800 for the Barretts, one of the richest planter families in Jamaica, and was used mainly for entertaining, according to the house’s own history. Richard Barrett, who was Speaker of the House of Assembly and Custos of St James, was a cousin of the poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Until it closed, the house ran as a museum, with the Barrett family’s original library, antique furniture, rare books and old musical instruments. Where Rose Hall sells the White Witch legend, Greenwood’s pull was the real objects and the plain story of a plantation house.

Hurricane Melissa hit it hard. The Jamaica Observer reported on November 2, 2025, that the house, about 225 years old, lost its roof and other key parts of the structure, and posts on the house’s Facebook page in February showed re-roofing under way. Today the house’s own website says it is temporarily closed, and the Tourist Board’s reopenings list also showed it as closed. I found no reopening date. My take: don’t plan or pay for a trip here until the house itself announces it has reopened.

For a great house that is open now, see my guide to Rose Hall Great House, or spend the time in Falmouth’s Georgian old town just east of Greenwood. For where to stay, see my Montego Bay guide.

How to get there

The house is at 435 Belgrade Avenue, Greenwood, St James, up the hill from the north coast highway. By map it is about 20 km by road from Sangster International Airport (around 30 minutes), about 10 km east of Rose Hall Great House and about 13 km west of Falmouth.

The Rose Hall hotels, such as Iberostar Selection Rose Hall Suites, are the closest resorts on the Montego Bay side. Once the house reopens, a licensed taxi or a tour is the simplest way up.

What to expect

For now, nothing: the house’s website lists its opening hours as temporarily closed. The house has a Help Rebuild page that thanks people for their support and asks for donations toward repairs and preservation, while asking people to put human needs first by supporting relief charities.

Greenwood is a private house, not a government site, so there is no official reopening timetable beyond what the owners post.

To check the latest, contact the house directly: info@greenwoodgreathouse.com, 876-631-4701 or 876-953-1077 (numbers as listed on its website).

Local tips

  • Check the house’s website or Facebook page for a reopening notice before you plan anything; that is where the owners post updates.

  • If an excursion still lists Greenwood, ask the tour company in writing whether the house is open and what replaces it if not.

Before you go

  • Even after it reopens, some rooms or parts of the collection may not be on show at first.
  • Older pages and some booking sites still show hours and ticket prices; don’t rely on them while the house is closed.

Questions people ask

Is Greenwood Great House open?

No. The house’s own website says it is temporarily closed, and the Tourist Board’s reopenings list also showed it as closed. There is no published reopening date, so check the house’s website or Facebook page before planning a visit.

Who built Greenwood Great House?

The Barrett family, wealthy sugar planters related to the poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning. According to the house’s history, building began in 1780 and was finished by 1800, and the house was used mainly for entertaining.

What can I visit instead of Greenwood Great House?

Rose Hall Great House, about 10 km west toward Montego Bay, is open for tours. Falmouth’s Georgian old town, about 13 km east, is another good history stop.

Sources & updates

Update log

  • — New status page: temporarily closed after Hurricane Melissa per the house's website; open alternatives added.
  • — Moved source citations out of the text
  • — Removed repeated advice
  • — Trimmed hurricane references to where they change the advice
  • — Best for: who it suits, not status (status is in the notice)

Spotted something out of date? Tell me and I’ll check it.

Where to stay nearby

Where to stay in Montego Bay