Heritage Trust Antigua and Barbuda has completed the restoration of the Government House in St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda, marking the reopening of one of the country’s most significant historic landmarks after a major conservation programme.
ADAM Architecture was brought in, with the support of the Commonwealth Heritage Forum, to lead the historic restoration, working in partnership with Antiguan architect, Ms Curisa Smith of FRagments Design. The works include restoring the building’s historic fabric while establishing a renewed civic and cultural role to this highly significant historic structure in the heart of the capital.
Government House has served as the seat of the Governor General for the last two hundred years and is a building of national significance. Situated within an area of St. John’s where few historic structures survive, the timber-framed building is distinguished by its deep verandas and double-height columns. Several other historic structures, including the former Catholic Church and St. John’s Cathedral, form a core of buildings of significance at the top of St. John’s.
The restoration, led by ADAM Architecture director Robbie Kerr in close collaboration with Antiguan architect Ms Curisa Smith, addresses a series of unsympathetic alterations and major structural issues that had accumulated over recent decades from water ingress, undermining of foundations, and serious infestations of termites.
A comprehensive programme of work and specialist historic consultancy has carefully reversed these alterations, repairing and reinstating the building’s original character while improving its long-term resilience. The project removed the unsympathetic concrete additions, reconfigured poorly designed service areas, and restored the historic plan on both the ground and first floors.
The completed building now serves a dual purpose. The ground floor has been restored and redecorated to accommodate formal state functions, while the upper floor has been transformed into a new public museum dedicated to the history of Antigua and Barbuda.
The project not only restores a key national landmark but repositions it as a centre for public engagement, education, and heritage skills development. The new museum will become part of a heritage trail being formed by the Commonwealth Heritage Forum and The King’s Foundation, with the support of the Governor General, to celebrate the historically significant buildings through St. John’s. The initiative supports the training and education programmes aimed at developing traditional building skills across the Commonwealth.
Robbie Kerr, a design director at ADAM Architecture, has relocated to Antigua to establish a new studio that will allow the practice to service work in the Caribbean. The move will allow the practice to deepen existing relationships in the region and continue to provide both architectural services and heritage consultancy to local projects more efficiently. Of the works at Government House, he says:
“Reversing decades of unsympathetic alterations while working with local craftspeople to reinstate traditional construction techniques was central to the project. It has been fantastic to be able to take our deep understanding of historic buildings and adapt it to the context in Antigua. It has been a privilege to contribute our expertise and incredibly rewarding to immerse ourselves in the heritage of this building at the heart of St. John’s. As His Excellency noted at the Ceremonial Opening on Friday 17th April, “National Heritage is not an ornament, it is an inheritance”, and to be able to be a part of ensuring this inheritance can continue has been an honour.”
Dr Gabriella Howell MBE, Director of Historic Conservation and Museum Development for the Heritage Trust (Antigua & Barbuda) Inc, says:
“One of the greatest challenges was striking the delicate balance between preservation and conservation - protecting the building’s original character while ensuring its survival. Once a symbol of colonial authority, it now stands transformed into a place of learning, reflection, and shared history, with the creation of the Government House Museum ensuring that this space remains not only preserved but deeply meaningful for generations to come."
