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Draft data. Times, fares and step counts are desk estimates awaiting field checks. Unknown times stay unknown. How we verify

Place · Central Freetown: museum and cathedral

Cotton Tree siteThe Cotton Tree

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.

gogate: n/aNot field-verified
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Key facts

Time on site
10–15 min
p95 25 min
Price
Free
adult, 2026 estimate
Hours
unknown
Best time
unknown
28″ bags
Painful
Central Freetown: museum and cathedral: painful
Getting there
Central Freetown, next to the National Museum and the law courts (field-verify the exact corner)
  • 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.
Map & directions
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Directions
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Plan

Open now, what it costs, what to know, how long it takes

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
Directions Add to a day →

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.

Weather here, next 7 days

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Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Time on site

minutes

Minimum

5min

Worthwhile

10min

Typical

15min

p95

25min

A street-side landmark with no gate; the surrounding roads are busy all day.

Tickets & entry

2026 estimate · check the posted board
Where to buy
  • No ticket needed.

Official site ↗

On the ground

Getting in, crowds, 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)
Exit
—
Ticket
free · official site
Stairs
none of note
Shoes
Shoes on.

Crowds and switching

Crowd clock
Busy traffic and street traders from mid-morning; quieter at 07:30–09:00.
Sensory load
2/5
Exposure
high

Bailouts

  1. heat

    Shade at the cathedral grounds or an indoor stop at the museum.

  2. crowd

    Move on to the museum and come back early.

Nearest rescue anchor: A — Cathedral grounds (seats, shade) (field-verify)

Step-free check

  • Step-free entrance: yes · yesnone of note

A street-level stop; traffic and uneven pavements are the barriers.

Combine with

nearest first
  1. —National Museum (2 min)
  2. —St George's Cathedral (5 min)

Walk the Central Freetown: museum and cathedral area · the cluster page has the walking order, rescue stops and after-dark notes

Best photo time today

sun times for the area

Sun times for today load in your browser.

  • From the museum side, in the morning

Red lines

  • Keep phones and bags out of sight in the crowd.
  • Do not photograph the police, the courts or government buildings nearby.
More on the groundWho it suits · Skip it if

Who it suits

TravelerFitWhy
The founding story of Freetowngood—
A short first stop before the museumgood—

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

Deep dive

Questions, what is nearby, photos and sources

Questions and answers

answered by Voykit editors · dated
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

Answers come from Voykit editors, not from other travellers.

Nearby

Straight-line distance; walk time adds 30% for streets.

Sources