$100 Million From the Tourism Fund: A Museum to the Sisters of Mercy Opens on the Alpha Campus

• The Alpha Mercy Historical Centre opened on the Alpha campus in Kingston
• The Tourism Enhancement Fund put $100 million into the museum
• It records about 150 years of the Sisters of Mercy’s work in Jamaica
• Officials described the money as an investment in heritage tourism

A new museum dedicated to the Sisters of Mercy has opened on the Alpha campus in Kingston, turning part of one of Jamaica’s best-known church properties into a heritage attraction, the Jamaica Gleaner reported in August 2026.

The Alpha Mercy Historical Centre documents roughly 150 years of the religious order’s service in Jamaica. The Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) provided $100 million for the project. The centre includes a media room with historical re-enactments of the institution’s founding, collections of artefacts and documents, a gift shop and a memorial wall honouring Sisters who have died.

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness spoke at the opening about the value of preserving such history. “Once lost, many of them cannot be recovered. Preserving them is an investment in identity,” he said. He credited the Sisters with meeting social needs long before the state did: “Before Jamaica had a government-led social welfare system, it was the churches and charitable organisations…that filled the gap.” He added: “Young Jamaicans should know the institutions that helped to shape their country.”

TEF executive director Dr Carey Wallace was explicit about the financial thinking. “We look at our funds as not grants but investments that we expect to pay off handsomely,” he said, pointing to growth in experiential tourism. Culture Minister Olivia Grange and Speaker of the House Juliet Holness were among those at the opening.

The project shows another way church-owned land and buildings can earn their keep. Many religious orders and denominations in Jamaica hold historic campuses whose original uses have shrunk. Converting part of a site into a museum or visitor centre, with public or tourism funding, can pay for restoration, create jobs and bring in income while keeping the property in church hands.

For churches with heritage buildings, from colonial-era parish churches to mission schools, the lesson is to document their history and assets carefully. A well-told story and a well-kept building can attract tourism and heritage investment. For investors and returning residents, heritage sites in Kingston and elsewhere point to a growing market for cultural tourism beyond the beaches.

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