Freedom Park Lagos

Why it matters: this was Her Majesty’s Broad Street Prison, where Nigeria’s independence heroes were jailed under colonial rule – reborn as a memorial and community arts park that now hosts the island’s best live music, poetry nights and festivals. Architect Theo Lawson’s design keeps the old prison walls and cells as museum spaces, so you can trace the history before the amphitheatre fills up at night. The food court serves proper Lagos cooking at honest prices. Go at dusk when office workers drift in and the stage comes alive – check the events calendar before you visit, and entry rarely tops 1,000 naira.