Place · Central Freetown: museum and cathedral
Cotton Tree site
The spot where Freetown's famous cotton tree stood until a storm brought it down in May 2023: a five-minute stop beside the museum and the Supreme Court, worth it for the story of the city's founding; go in the morning and keep bags close in the crowd.
- Free entry
Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.
Rules in force · 8Nine African countries on this site have no trip line bec…Carry an original yellow fever vaccination certificate on…Plan every crossing and every cross-town ride in daylight
- Africa ↗When a route touches a yellow-fever country — even a transit of 12 hours or more — keep the original yellow card (ICVP) in your hand luggage; health desks and airlines can refuse boarding or entry without it.
- Africa ↗Nine African countries on this site have no trip line because governments advise against travel; several others have no-go regions. Read your government's advice for every country on the route before paying deposits.
- West Africa ↗Carry an original yellow fever vaccination certificate on any West African trip: several countries on the coast road demand it of every arrival, and the rest demand it after you have passed through a neighbour.
- West Africa ↗Cross land borders and drive between cities in daylight only; plan each crossing as a full travel day with cash for fees and passport copies for checkpoints.
- Sierra Leone ↗Check visa and entry rules for your passport on official Sierra Leone government sources before booking.
- Sierra Leone ↗Book the Lungi–Freetown crossing (water taxi or ferry) before you land, and check how the operator handles late arrivals.
- Freetown ↗Plan every crossing and every cross-town ride in daylight; do not walk between areas, and go back to your hotel before dark.
- Freetown ↗Use a driver from your hotel or a trusted contact for each leg; agree the fare before the ride.
More
Map & directions
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Plan
Open now, best time to go, opening hours
Go now?
hours and prices: check on the day- Open
- Hours not on file: check the official site.
- Tickets
- Adult: Free
- Time to spend
- 10–15 min · up to 25 min if you linger
Best time to go
Busy traffic and street traders from mid-morning; quieter at 07:30–09:00.
Opening hours
- Note
- A street-side landmark with no gate; the surrounding roads are busy all day.
Weather here, next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
On the ground
Getting in, access, sensory load, what to bring, and where to go if it does not work
Getting in
- Stop
- Central Freetown, next to the National Museum and the law courts (field-verify the exact corner)
- Ticket
- free · official site
- Stairs
- none of note
- Shoes
- Shoes on.
Accessibility
- YesStep-free entrance · none of note
Sensory load
- Sensory load2/5 Low
Exposure: high
What to bring and the rules
- Water, a hat and sun or rain cover · Rated high exposure: little shelter while you walk.
Rules and prices change: check the official site before you go.
Bailouts
- heat: Shade at the cathedral grounds or an indoor stop at the museum.
- crowd: Move on to the museum and come back early.
Nearest rescue anchor: A — Cathedral grounds (seats, shade) (field-verify)
Problem
Red lines
- Keep phones and bags out of sight in the crowd.
- Do not photograph the police, the courts or government buildings nearby.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
Map and nearby
Where it is, how to get there from your hotel or from where you stand, and what is around it
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
The pin marks the centre of Central Freetown: museum and cathedral: this place has no exact entrance point on file.
More places in Central Freetown: museum and cathedral
Eat in Central Freetown: museum and cathedral
More detail
Everything else we know about this place
Tickets, prices and entry
Know before you go
- The old cotton tree stood at the centre of the city for generations and was a symbol of Freetown and of freedom: tradition holds that the first settlers who arrived from Nova Scotia in 1792 held their first service under it. It fell in a storm on the night of 24 May 2023.
- What marks the spot now and what has been built or planted there is something to check locally before you go.
Tickets & entry
- Where to buy
- No ticket needed.
Time on site, inside and your plan
Time on site
Minimum
5min
Worthwhile
10min
Typical
15min
p95
25min
How much time do you have?
Room to linger: a typical visit is 15 min, people who stay on take up to 25.
Visit times are typical figures, not promises; queues and closing times can change them.
Step-free check, who it suits, facilities
Step-free check
- Step-free entrance: yes · yesnone of note
A street-level stop; traffic and uneven pavements are the barriers.
Who it suits
| Traveler | Fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The founding story of Freetown | good | — |
| A short first stop before the museum | good | — |
Skip it if
- You expect a tree: it fell in 2023 and what stands there now is for you to check
- A hot, crowded midday
Combine with
Combine with
Walk the Central Freetown: museum and cathedral area · the cluster page has the walking order, rescue stops and after-dark notes
Best photo time
Best photo time today
Sun times for today load in your browser.
- From the museum side, in the morning
Deep dive
Questions, photos, and where our facts come from
Questions and answers
Questions and answers
Is the Cotton Tree still there?
No: it fell in a storm in May 2023. Check locally what marks the site now.
Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk
Photos
Deep dive
Sources
- officialSierra Leone National Tourist Board
- secondaryWikivoyage — Freetown
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Source: Price
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
Prices are 2026 estimates. The official site has the current price.
Source: Opening hours
Source: Best hour
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
Taken from the desk crowd estimate by hour. It is not a count of visitors.
Source: Bag rating
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
Rated for the whole walking cluster, from desk research, not for this entrance.