The museum houses major cultural and natural history. 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. Mcgregor museum kimberley, northern cape museum, tour. Visit mcgregor museum on your trip to kimberley or south. It covers the wildlife, and early man right up to modern day wars. 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. Mcgregor is the best preserved and most complete example of midnineteenth century townscape in the cape province. Afrikaans alexander bay angloboer antelope like springbok apartheid augrabies falls barkly west battles big hole birds boer soldiers border with namibia british built camelthorn acacia cape tourism authority cheetahs church colesberg courtesy of northern courtesy of south diamond mining diamond rush driekopseiland eastern cape famous. 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. It curates important collections and archival material and. By coincidence 24 september was chosen as heritage day, a public holiday in south africa post1994. This museum leads one through the history of kimberley and natural.
Within their embellished houses decorated with marble, stained glass, ceramic tiles and imported wallpaper, kimberleys residents could escape the ever present realities of a mining town. Legend has it that our breede valley neighbours would admonish their errant children with behave. The development of the city will also be covered, including forgotten suburbs, such as greenpoint, galeshewe a. One of the betterknown attractions is the mcgregor museum which has displays ranging from archaeology to zoology. Magersfontein battlefield museum in kimberley, northern cape. Kimberley, northern cape, museums and art galleries south africa. Kimberley besides the big hole, kimberley as a city has a lot to offer the visitor. Historic buildings and monuments in kimberley, south africa. Prior to this there had been several calls for the establishment of a museum in kimberley but nothing had materialised. The mcgregor museums photographic collections with a special emphasis on the historic negatives. 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. 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. The mcgregor museum was officially founded on the 24th september 1907. A page for friends of the mcgregor museum in kimberley, south africa.
The mcgregor museum was officially founded in 1907, following several calls for the. The mcgregor museum in kimberley, south africa, originally known as the alexander. No books in library that got r20 million in lottery funding. As such, it served as his residence during the fourmonth siege of kimberley and then it was refurbished and renamed the hotel belgrave. A circular historical walking tour begins and ends at the mcgregor museum. Here youll find current best sellers in books, new releases in books, deals in books, kindle ebooks, audible audiobooks, and so much more. Along its streets the atmosphere is balanced somewhere between frenetic and laidback. Due to the abundance of riches discovered in and around modernday kimberley in the 19th century, this part of south africa was subject to. Mcgregor museum kimberley all you need to know before you. Theres an excellent variety of accommodation, plenty of history, some unmissable tourist attractions, wildlife and adventure activities nearby, and a pinch of nightlife.
The 1892 south african and international exhibition, kimberley. Not expensive to visit and somewhere to pass a good few hours just soaking up the history of kimberley. The culture of kimberley is constructed from the usual. The mcgregor museum in kimberley solomon edwardian guest house. The museum moved to a larger building in the 70s, the beautiful old kimberley sanatorium and the name was shortened to the mcgregor museum. Today in kimberleys history 01 march kimberley city info. Its a small size geocache, with difficulty of 2, terrain of 2.
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 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. Alexander mcgregor memorial museum kimberley city portal. When one has exhausted all this, a wander through the streets of the museum village is a trip back in time. Mcgregor museum kimberley, south africa attractions. 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. Some excellent displays in this quiet little museum and very well laid out. Historic buildings and monuments in kimberley, south. The ancestorsfrontiers gallery at the mcgregor museum was opened in two stages in 19989.
The mcgregor museum in kimberley, south africa, originally known as the alexander mcgregor memorial museum, is a provinceaided museum established in 1907. It covers the second angloboer war and south africas role in wwi. Forgotten but interesting mcgregor museum, kimberley. Kimberley experience the northern cape, south africa. The big hole museum is the number one attraction in kimberley. There are actually two mcgregor museums in kimberley. Mcgregor museum, kimberley centre for curating the archive.
Old uniforms and artifacts carried by diamond miners are part of an eclectic display in the spacious heritage building. Guides can be arranged through the mcgregor museum. It is on loan from the mcgregor museum in kimberley. 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. Alexander mcgregor memorial museum archives kimberley city info. Mcgregor museum, kimberley, south africa tourist information. Staff contact information mcgregor museum physical address. The collection comprises books, manuscripts, maps, photographs and other. 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. The only exhibit in the museum is a travelling one consisting of a series of illustrated banners that tell the history of the northern cape.
In 1973 the museum staff and collections moved from the building in chapel street to these new premises on atlas street in belgravia, the building that has in the past served as a sanatorium, a hotel and a convent. This easytofind and locate cache is located on the grounds of one of kimberleys landmark institutions, the mcgregor museum. The mcgregor museum is the custodian of a number of other facilities in kimberley and further afield. Mcgregor museum library is located at kimberley, kimberley, 8300, south africa. Mcgregor museum kimberley 2020 all you need to know. It curates important collections and archival material see below and, on the basis of its collections and research activities. Oct 27, 2014 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. Mcgregor museum library at kimberley, kimberley, 8300, south. Jul, 2016 by coincidence 24 september was chosen as heritage day, a public holiday in south africa post1994. The books homepage helps you explore earths biggest bookstore without ever leaving the comfort of your couch. Today, as a satellite of the mcgregor museum, it houses new displays on kimberleys suburban and township development. It seems to get very few visitors, but is fascinating if you are interested in the history of kimberley. Alexander mcgregor memorial museum kimberley, south africa. The museum houses major natural history and cultural history collections including a botanical.
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. Mcgregor museum gc1vpw2 was created by bunjeedr on 7102009. 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. This comprehensive museum warrants a visit of an hour or two. Alexander mcgregor memorial museum in kimberley, northern cape. At the museum we will be the guests of the kimberley historical society. The fist curator of the museum was ms maria wilman and in the forty years. 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.
In june 1966, richard liversidge was appointed as director of the mcgregor museum in kimberley. Well presented historical information and exhibits of the. Integrating prehistory with the frontier or historical period of the region, it challenges. Cultural attractions near kimberley nightjar travel. Sorry, there are no tours or activities available to book online for the dates you selected. Theres information on the early settlers and forced removals, but best is the collection of photographs showing the kimberley of yesteryear its fun to compare the shots with the city today, because many of the buildings are still standing. Kimberley was one of the first really big towns to develop in the cape, after cape town. 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. Based in a grand old building in the city centre, this museum focuses on kimberleys history.
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. The original museum was built in 1907 in memory of alexander mcgregor, a former mayor. This victorian building also served as a base and home to cecil john rhodes during the siege of kimberley at the time of the angloboer war. The mcgregor museum is a primary research institute in and for the northern cape in fields of natural and cultural history. Mar 01, 2019 when the alexander mcgregor memorial museum later the mcgregor museum was founded in kimberley in 1907 through a gift by mrs margaret mcgregor, wife of a former mayor of kimberley, wilman was appointed as director. 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 was officially founded on the 24th september 1907 when the title deeds were handed over to the management committee. Attractions in kimberley, northern cape 1 city portal. Kimberley, northern cape, museums and art galleries south. We should arrive in kimberley around 11h30, we will then book in at the. Explore the history of the city of diamonds at mcgregor museum, a multidisciplinary establishment set in the former kimberley sanatorium.
This museum leads one through the history of kimberley and natural elements in a. 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. Gc1vpw2 mcgregor museum traditional cache in northern cape. Robert hart mcgregor museum, kimberley south africa meeting. Well worth a visit if you are interested in history of the places you visit. The r20m credo mutwa lotteryfunded library with empty.