Nestled at the foot of the Ngong Hills, 10 km outside Nairobi, the Karen Blixen Museum is situated within what was once British East Africa. The bungalow-style house, originally constructed by Swedish engineer Åke Sjögren in 1912, became the property of Danish author Karen Blixen and her husband Baron Bror von Blixen-Finecke in 1917. They intended to cultivate a coffee plantation, but after their separation in 1921, Blixen continued managing the estate until she left for Denmark permanently in 1931.

Blixen's experiences are documented in her memoir 'Out of Africa', which gained renewed attention following the release of the film adaptation in 1985. Although the movie was not filmed at this house, it spurred interest that led to its opening as a national museum by the Kenyan government in 1986, two years after Blixen's death and donated by Denmark. The surrounding suburb of Karen emerged from the re-parceling of the former coffee farm following her departure.