Attached To The Soil exhibition by Peter Glendinning
William Humphreys Art Gallery, Permanent Collection
The cultural institutions within the Sol Plaatjie Municipality are preparing to launch the Museums Passport Initiative in September 2024, which promises to significantly boost heritage tourism in the region. This initiative strategically coincides with Heritage and Tourism Month, and it seeks to raise awareness about key cultural institutions, increase visitor numbers, and showcase the rich historical offerings in the Northern Cape.
The Museums Passport Initiative is an Amazing Race- style experience, which encourages tourists to visit multiple museums and heritage sites across Kimberley. Participants who complete the journey will not only deepen their knowledge of South Africa’s history, but also stand a chance to win a once-in-a-lifetime trip aboard the luxurious Blue Train. The grand prize is a double ticket valued at R73,000 (seventy-three thousand Rands) for a single journey from Cape Town to Pretoria (or vice versa). The prize is to be taken up either between 1 January and 31 July 2025 or between 16 November and 31 December 2025.
The initiative will officially be launched on 20 September 2024 at The Transnet Transport Museum and run through October out, combining two commemorative months: Heritage and Tourism month in September, and Transport month in October. Visitors are encouraged to explore the following cultural institutions:
“The Museums Passport is a brilliant opportunity for local, regional and global tourists to engage with our heritage in an interactive and rewarding way,” said Sunet Swanepoel, Chief Executive Officer of the McGregor Museums. “Our goal is to promote Kimberley’s rich cultural history and ensure these institutions remain central to our community.”
Participants in the “Museums Passport” competition will receive stamps at each museum they visit. To be eligible for the grand prize draw, visitors must spend at least 20 minutes at each museum, giving them the chance to fully experience each institution’s unique offerings.
The initiative is expected to attract not only heritage enthusiasts but also those interested in the educational and cultural contributions of Kimberley’s museums.
About the Museums Passport Initiative:
The Museums Passport Initiative is a collaborative effort by the collective cultural institutions to bolster tourism in Kimberley by connecting visitors with the city’s historical and cultural institutions. Through this immersive, educational, and competitive experience, the initiative aims to celebrate the region’s heritage while driving foot traffic to its museums. Participants who complete the passport by visiting all listed institutions will be entered into a draw to win a luxurious journey on The Blue Train.
McGregor Museum
The Museum was established on 24 September 1907 when the original museum building in Chapel Street was donated to the people of Kimberley by Mrs Margaret McGregor. By the late 1960s, the increasing size of the museum collections resulted in the museum staff and collections moving to the historical Sanatorium building in Atlas Street. Expanding in scope and function, the McGregor Museum is today the principal museum in the Northern Cape, with nine satellites, including the Duggan-Cronin Gallery, Dunluce House, Rudd House, the Magersfontein Battlefield, Pioneers of Aviation, the Wildebeest Kuil Rock Art Centre and Wonderwerk Cave.
The museum showcases the Northern Cape’s rich natural and cultural history, from early human life to the liberation struggle.
LOCATION
7-11 Atlas Street, (near the Halfway House Hotel).
Kimberley
Tel: 0538392700
e-mail: enquiries@museumsnc.co.za
Website: https://museumsnc.co.za/new_site/
OPERATING HOURS
Monday to Saturday: 08:00 – 16:00
Public Holidays: 09:00 – 16:00
ENTRANCE FEES
Adults – R30.00
Children – R20.00
Special price for school groups (Booking essential)
The Big Hole Museum
150 years ago, the site of the Big Hole was a featureless, flat-topped hill. When word spread about the discovery of diamonds, thousands of prospectors, armed with nothing more than picks, shovels and hope, descended on Kimberley and created the largest hand-dug excavation in the world. Kimberley is one of the most unique and authentic historical destinations in South Africa, because of the Kimberley diamond mine, which occupies a surface of 17 hectares, 463 meters wide, for a depth of 240 meters, active from 1871 to 1914. The Big Hole in Kimberley is one of the deepest cavities excavated by man with a depth of 200 meters. Next to the Big Hole is the Kimberley Mine Museum, whereby the some of the earliest diamond reserves in South Africa were discovered.
ENTRANCE FEES
Adults: R140.00
Children (4 to 12 years): R100.00
Family Package (2 adults, 3 children | 4 to 12 yrs) – R480.00
Big Hole viewing only – R80.00
OPERATING HOURS
Monday to Sunday: 08h00 – 17h00
*CLOSED CHRISTMAS DAY
Monday to Friday:
First tour @ 09:00 every hour thereafter
Last Tour @ 16:00
Saturday to Sunday: | First tour @ 09:00
every second hour thereafter
Last Tour @ 15:00
William Humphreys Art Gallery
The William Humphreys Art Gallery is one of three national art museums in the country, and the only one in the Northern Cape. Nestled in the Oppenheimer Gardens in Kimberley, the William Humphreys Art Gallery is considered one of the finest national art museums in South Africa. Endearingly known as WHAG and conveniently situated in central South Africa, it remains one of the cultural gems for locals, and a must-see for patrons of the arts passing through the diamond city.
LOCATION
1 Cullinan Crescent
Civic Centre
Kimberley
Tel: 053 831 1724/5
Email: enquiries@whag.co.za
Website: https://whag.co.za/
OPERATING HOURS
Mondays to Fridays: 08:00 – 16:30
Tour guides by appointment
Saturdays: 09:00 – 14:00
Public Holidays: 09:00 – 12:00
ENTRANCE FEES
Adults: R10.00
Children/Scholars: Free
Students: Free with student card
Guided tours: From R50.00
Transnet Transport Museum
Housed in the 138-year-old Kimberley Train Station, in the “Diamond City” of Kimberley, the Transnet Transport Museum is a treasure trove of South Africa’s railway history and memorabilia, inviting guests to embark on a fascinating exploration of South Africa’s railway and technological achievements.
The Transnet Transport Museum – Kimberley offers a glimpse into the history of South Africa’s industrial advances over the years, accompanied by displays of antique furniture, silverware, and unique railway porcelain. The Museum offers visitors the opportunity to explore the interior of real-life-sized locomotives and offers educational tours for schools that provide valuable insights into South Africa’s transportation heritage.
OPERATING HOURS
Monday to Friday: 08:30 -16:30
Saturdays, Sundays, and Public Holidays – Closed
ENTRANCE FEES
Adults: R20.00
Children: R15.00
LOCATION
The Museum is situated at the Kimberley Train Station, Florence Road,
Kimberley
Tel: 053 8382376
E-mail: heritage2@transnet.net or carien.viljoen@transnet.net
For more information on the Museums Passport Initiative and how to participate, please scan the QR code below:
