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The city's astonishing energy comes from its 75,000 inhabitants, who represent every ethnic group in the country, with the Creole descendants of former slaves and British Baymen forming the dominant element and generating an easy-going Caribbean atmosphere. Belize City offers an abundance of historic and cultural landmarks and attractions as well as shopping and a profusion of restaurants and nightlife. The Museum of Belize was built in 1857 is two storey structure of sand colored brickwork, set in lawns and gardens. The Museum attract with Maya Masterpiece gallery, the world class collection of some of the best artifacts. The Museum presents all periods of Maya history. The Museum also features one of the largest and best displayed collections of insects in Belize.
The House of Culture was built 1814; it was the governors' residence when Belize was a British colony. A wide range of Belizean arts are presented here, among them painting, dance, Garifuna drumming, musical performances and visual arts exhibitions.
The Belize district has many villages. Included in these are Bermudian Landing, Big Falls, Biscayne, Boston, Burrell Boom, Double Head Cabbage, Gardenia, Gracie Rock, Isabella Bank, Ladyville, Lord's Bank, Hattieville, Lucky Strike, Maskall, Rancho Dolores, Sandhill, Santana, Saint Paul's Bank, and Willow's Bank.
The Belize Zoo came to be in 1983 and is located 46 kilometers outside Belize City, at Mile 29 of the Western Highway. The zoo is arranged as "a walk through Belize", with a trail that takes you to the pine ridge, the forest edge, the rainforest, lagoons and the river forest; witty, hand painted signs identify what you are seeing. The Zoo's inhabitants make good photographic subjects and include all species indigenous to Belize. The Belize zoo is well worth visiting.
Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, this preserve is swampy lowland that is home to over 250 resident species of birds and serves as a resting spot for scores of migratory species. It is also the principal nesting site of the endangered jabiru stork, the largest bird in the Americas. The sanctuary is an excellent place to spot other wildlife as well, including crocodiles, iguanas, coati-mundi, and howler monkeys. The best way to explore Crooked Tree is by paddling around the network of lagoons in a dugout canoe. The best time to visit is from late February to early June, when the lagoons shrink to a string of pools, forcing wildlife to congregate for food and water.
The Baboon Sanctuary located 43km northwest of Belize City at Bermudian Landing, is a unique conservation effort brings together eight villages to protect the population and habitat of Belize's Black Howler Monkey which is the main focus of attention, affectionately called "baboons" by the locals. These are the largest monkey in the New World and an endangered subspecies of howler that exist only in Belize, Guatemala and Southern Mexico. Black Howlers have an infamous howl, a deep resonating and raspy cat like roar that can be heard for over a mile. The Sanctuary combines dense jungle with farmland, pasture, and small village life. Special trails are cut through the forest so that visitors can see it all at its best.
Burrell Boom Village is located 6 kilometers down the Northern Highway. Burrell Boom held's its name in the logging days; a huge, heavy, metal chain called a "boom" was stretched across the river to catch the logs floating down. The chain and the anchors are place at the Burrell Boom Park by the roadside in front of community center, on the right as you pass through the village. Burrell Boom River is a perfect place to have adventures it is never far from the view and its well worth taking a boat journey. One of the biggest events that occur in Burrell Boom is La Ruta Maya at Old River Tavern. Burrell Boom is a peaceful rural community and includes wildlife watching such as crocodiles, iguanas, and howler monkeys.
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