Kimberley mine museum 2020 all you need to know before you. One of the betterknown attractions is the mcgregor museum which has displays ranging from archaeology to zoology. Visit mcgregor museum on your trip to kimberley or south. Another of his archaeological discoveries, in 19, was an early to middle stone age site among the shifting sand dunes near mossel bay. We should arrive in kimberley around 11h30, we will then book in at the. Sometime in kimberley s past, a traveling group known as the trekboers made camp near hull street theater. The mcgregor museum in kimberley, south africa, originally known as the alexander. It curates important collections and archival material see below and, on the basis of its collections and research activities. Vetra amour guesthouse vetra amour guesthouse apartment overlooks the garden and offers proximity to kimberley mine museum. The mcgregor museum was originally located in chapel street, but was moved in the early 1970s to a larger building, the old kimberley sanatorium the same building where cecil john rhodes held up during the siege of kimberley from 1899 1900.
The mcgregor museum also hosted the launch of the first ever childrens dictionary in a san language. The big hole official site tourist attractions in kimberley. Guests can also explore sights such as the big hole, which is reachable within a 30minute walk from the venue. The hotel is a 5minute walk from the mcgregor museum. Mcgregor museum for the period 1 april 2014 to 31 march 2015 for more information, please contact. Mcgregor museum kimberley, northern cape museum, tour. Couples particularly like the location they rated it 9. Its very informative about the history of the area as well as the mining industry. Mcgregor museum has several satellites, including the original mcgregor memorial museum in town city history displays, the duggancronin gallery photographic and ethnographic museum. The mcgregor museum was built as a sanitarium or retreat. The museum was to be named the alexander mcgregor memorial museum, but today locals refer to it as the mcgregor. Integrating prehistory with the frontier or historical period of the region, it challenges. History mcgregor museum kimberley honouring our past.
The star though is the liberation wing, where an incredibly detailed timeline tells the story of south africas struggle for democracy alongside landmark events in kimberley s past. This comprehensive museum warrants a visit of an hour or two. Today in kimberleys history 21 december kimberley city info. Mcgregor museum in kimberley and the magersfontein museum and monuments.
Cultural attractions near kimberley nightjar travel. Well worth a visit if you are interested in history of the places you visit. In june 1966, richard liversidge was appointed as director of the mcgregor museum in kimberley. The museum is a primary research institute dealing in the fields of zoology, botany, general history, archaeology, social anthropology and also south african struggle history.
Nominally, the original building for the mcgregor museum, a couple miles away on chapel street, is its history museum, but theres plenty to see on atlas street. Kimberley south africa is said to be the most haunted city in the world, and it certainly is a city with a remarkable and dark history. The mcgregor museum, which owns rudd house, has its own resident haunting. The anglo boer war experience the northern cape, south. This victorian building which now houses the mcgregor museum, was designed and erected by the architect d. Mcgregor museum i po box 316 i kimberley i 8300 i south africa. The mcgregor museum in kimberley, south africa, originally known as the alexander mcgregor memorial museum, is a provinceaided museum established in 1907. Attractions in kimberley are plentiful, from quaint saloons and mining settlements reminiscent of the towns glory days, to a plethora of history museums and art galleries. By coincidence 24 september was chosen as heritage day, a public holiday in south africa post1994. Prior to this there had been several calls for the establishment of a museum in kimberley but nothing had materialised. The kimberley mine museum is interesting and well designed, taking one back well over a century to the days when the town was a magnet for diamond prospectors. Mcgregor museum library at kimberley, kimberley, 8300, south.
When word spread that diamonds had been discovered, thousands of prospectors, armed with nothing more than picks, shovels and hope, descended on kimberley and created the largest handdug excavation in. Kimberley sanatorium mcgregor museum solomon edwardian. There is also the paardeberg battlefield museum at paardeberg. Robert hart mcgregor museum, kimberley south africa meeting. Fuelled by the very profitable diamond mining industry, the magnates invested in everything of the best and have left us with a rich and very interesting canvas of their life and times. The culture of kimberley is constructed from the usual. David morris, archaeologist at kimberley s mcgregor museum, is a graduate of the universities of cape town and of the western cape. The development of the city will also be covered, including forgotten suburbs, such as greenpoint, galeshewe a. The mcgregor museum s photographic collections with a special emphasis on the historic negatives. Mcgregor museum, kimberley ticket price timings address. Mcgregor museum annual report provincial government. Originally a sanatorium, it was turned into a convent in 1933.
Louis mallett malay camp social history project, 2003. The ancestorsfrontiers gallery at the mcgregor museum was opened in two stages in 19989. It covers the second angloboer war and south africas role in wwi. Sorry, there are no tours or activities available to book online for the dates you selected. Elisa was a wonderful tour guide, the museum is interesting and i would recommend that people should visit the museum when in kimberley. Featuring a shower, private bathrooms also come with free toiletries and towels. Mcgregor museum, kimberley the mcgregor museum holds some of the stow collection of rock art tracings and correspondence which was conserved and digitised by the cca, and has assisted with the tracking down of various elusive items in the stow archive. Mcgregor museum kimberley, south africa attractions. Relive the diamond rush with a mine tour, browse the various jewelry shops, or delve into the towns turbulent history during the angloboer war and apartheid struggle. The mcgregor museum is a primary research institute in and for the northern cape and is anticipated to have a role in articulation with the school of heritage which is to be a part of the sol plaatje university in fields of natural and cultural history including zoology, botany, general history, south african struggle history, archaeology, social anthropology. Today, as a satellite of the mcgregor museum, it houses new displays on kimberleys suburban and township development. Driving on the n12 out of kimberley, towards cape town, you will find signpost to many of the battlefields of the angloboer war.
Historical society of kimberley and the northern cape, 1998 to collect social and living history. The mcgregor museum is a primary research institute in and for the northern cape in fields of natural and cultural history. Historic buildings and monuments in kimberley, south. Kimberley trip planner plan your kimberley trip itinerary.
Mcgregor museum, kimberley centre for curating the archive. Kimberley, northern cape, museums and art galleries south. Looking for hotels near mcgregor museum in kimberley. It curates important collections and archival material and. They arent the newest exhibits, but they are insightful and cover a wide series of topics. The registered history collection of the mcgregor museum dates from 1951, although historical items were donated even earlier in the museum s history. Kimberley, northern cape, museums and art galleries. Housed at first in a purposebuilt museum building in chapel street, kimberley, the museum was, and still is, governed by a board of trustees, aided financially by the municipality up to the 1950s, then by the cape provincial.
Kimberley experience the northern cape, south africa. Kimberley mine museum 2020 all you need to know before. View all hotels near kimberley mine museum on tripadvisor. Across town from the mcgregor museum housed in the beautiful sanatorium in which cecil rhodes had rooms in kimberley is the alexander mcgregor memorial museum, built as a memorial by the wife of the diamond pioneer and mayor of kimberley, alexander mcgregor, and presented in trust to the city of kimberley. Johnsons book the stone implements of south africa 1907. When one has exhausted all this, a wander through the streets of the museum village is a trip back in time. Alexander mcgregor memorial museum in kimberley, northern cape. The mcgregor museum was officially founded in 1907, following several calls for the. The mcgregor museum was officially founded on the 24th september 1907 when the title deeds were handed over to the management committee. Along its streets the atmosphere is balanced somewhere between frenetic and laidback. It is a museum worth a visit with its in depth look into how kimberley came about from the earliest inhabitants, right through to the diamond rush, the siege of kimberley and up to modern times. Kimberley was one of the first really big towns to develop in the cape, after cape town.
Kimberley country house, kimberley updated 2020 prices. The mcgregor museum in kimberley solomon edwardian. Jul, 2016 by coincidence 24 september was chosen as heritage day, a public holiday in south africa post1994. He combines his research interests, particularly in rock art, with developing public archaeology, and channels effort into conserving the traces of the past. Explore the history of the city of diamonds at mcgregor museum, a multidisciplinary establishment set in the former kimberley sanatorium. Home historical today in kimberley s history 21 december. On his various trips he also made rubbings of rock art, most of which are housed in the mcgregor museum. The museum houses major natural history and cultural history collections including a botanical. At the museum we will be the guests of the kimberley historical society. Within their embellished houses decorated with marble, stained glass, ceramic tiles and imported wallpaper, kimberley s residents could escape the ever present realities of a mining town. Mcgregor museum kimberley 2020 all you need to know. The establishment of the museum was a great milestone in the history of kimberley and it has expanded over the years to become a popular attraction for visitors and locals. Today in kimberleys history 07 december kimberley city info.
Kimberley is the largest city and the capital of south africas remote northern cape province, and its a sparkling diamond in the rough. Cecil john rhodes has a marvellous cardboard cutout in one of the rooms as well. Nominally, the original building for the mcgregor museum, a couple miles away on chapel street. The mcgregor museum was originally located in chapel street, but was moved in the early 1970s to a larger building, the old kimberley sanatorium the same build.
Mcgregor museum experience the northern cape, south africa. Not expensive to visit and somewhere to pass a good. This was a position he held until his retirement in 1986, whereafter he continued to serve the museum as a research associate and as a member of the board of trustees. Free cancellation available for most hotels, including our daily hot rate deals up to 60% off. The mcgregor museum was officially founded on the 24th september 1907. Mcgregor museum library is located at kimberley, kimberley, 8300, south africa. Displays include natural history, the siege of kimberley, a hall of religions and the acclaimed ancestors gallery, depicting three million years of human history in. The mcgregor museum is the custodian of a number of other facilities in kimberley and further afield. The mcgregor museum in kimberley solomon edwardian guest house. The mcgregor, as it has been referred to for the past century will, however, soon to be changing its name to the kimberley history museum. The exhibits inside focus on the history and culture of the northern cape. The elegantly decorated rooms provide you with a satellite tv, air conditioning and teaandcoffeemaking facilities. If you want an accurate timeline of kimberleys history, this is the place to visit. Theres an excellent variety of accommodation, plenty of history, some unmissable tourist attractions, wildlife and adventure activities nearby, and a pinch of nightlife.
The development of the city will also be covered, including forgotten suburbs, such as greenpoint, galeshewe and thehistoric. The new museum will exhibit kimberley in a timeline of events and points of historical interest, such as the development of the city and the socalled, forgotten suburbs of greenpoint, galeshewe. Inside the administration offices, a nun in white wanders through the corridors. Jan 28, 2020 the kimberley regiment gets a room of its own upstairs, as does the history of the building and the history of the convent that was based here. As such, it served as his residence during the fourmonth siege of kimberley and then it was refurbished and renamed the hotel belgrave. The original museum was built in 1907 in memory of alexander mcgregor, a former mayor. Of interest to history enthusiasts are the many south african war also known as the angloboer war battlefields in the vicinity as well as the wellappointed mcgregor museum. The mcgregor museum in kimberley, south africa, originally known as the alexander mcgregor memorial museum, is a multidisciplinary museum which serves kimberley and the northern cape, established in 1907. The big hole museum is the number one attraction in kimberley. Kimberley big hole history 150 years ago, the site of the big hole was a featureless, flattopped hill. Moving from a purposebuilt museum building in chapel street, the museum has its headquarters at the old kimberley sanatorium building in belgravia, kimberley. The alexander mcgregor museum in kimberley is a multidisciplinary museum that serves kimberley and northern cape. Another site of interest in kimberley is the wildebees kuil rock art centre, where rock engravings can be seen.
When word spread that diamonds had been discovered, thousands of prospectors, armed with nothing more than picks, shovels and hope, descended on kimberley and created the largest handdug excavation in the world. Resistance in the northern cape in the nineteenth century. Wilman became the first director of kimberley s alexander mcgregor museum which at the time researched griqualand west. A page for friends of the mcgregor museum in kimberley, south africa. Kimberley besides the big hole, kimberley as a city has a lot to offer the visitor. Moosa aysens booklets on islam on the diamond fields.
As early as 1909 he presented stone artefacts to the mcgregor museum and was thanked by the director, miss maria wilman, in. The mcgregor museum also hosted the launch of the first ever. Greatbatch in 1897 as a recuperative hotel known as the kimberley sanatorium. During the siege of kimberley angloboer war it served as a base and home for cecil john rhodes. The mission of the mcgregor museum is to research and conserve the natural and cultural history and diversity of the northern cape, and promote an awareness thereof through service excellence. With anecdotal displays that acknowledge all of kimberleys firsts, mcgregor museum is an experiential archive of facts, relics and stories about the historic mining town. The history of the people of malay camp, kimberley. Mcgregor museum, kimberley, south africa tourist information. Visit mcgregor museum on your trip to kimberley or south africa. A world class museum covering among other topics the siege of kimberley wars of dispossession northern cape history rock art rock engravings with actual engravings the museum is situated in what was the kimberley. The artefacts he collected there are in the mcgregor museum and the south african museum, cape town.
This museum leads one through the history of kimberley and natural. Wilman became the first director of kimberleys alexander mcgregor museum which at the time researched griqualand. At the same time local san participants were invited to the wildebeest kuil rock art centre to hear about the creation of mother tongue materials in san languages using ju hoansi as an example for. Changes are underway at this museum and it will soon be a kimberley history museum, with a kimberley timeline emphasising, amongst others, the kimberley firsts. Housed in a gracious building erected in 1897 as a sanatorium and later used by cecil john rhodes during the siege of kimberley, the mcgregor museum features a collection of natural history specimens and bushman san relics. In the 1960s the collection received a real boost through the energies of dr and mrs ga fock, a trend encouraged by dr richard liversidge. It is a lovely building thats also been a hotel and school. Alexander mcgregor memorial museum kimberley city portal. Mcgregor museum, kimberley south african history online. Mcgregor museum kimberley all you need to know before. Dec 07, 2018 today in kimberleys history 07 december.