The Garrison is a British colonial military complex south of the city centre, now inscribed as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is Barbados's most complete piece of 18th and 19th-century military architecture — a dozen or so red-brick buildings arranged around a central parade ground that doubles as a racecourse.
The neighbourhood has a different atmosphere from the historic centre: quieter, less commercial, with a mix of institutional and residential uses. The Barbados Museum occupies the old military prison, the Barbados Community College uses the barracks, and horses are exercised on the track early in the morning. The cannon collection along the main path is free to see at any time.
It's a twenty-minute walk from National Heroes Square, or a short taxi ride. The racecourse is the social event of the season on race days — buy a grandstand ticket rather than a ground admission and you will see why Barbadians consider this the best afternoon out in Bridgetown.