Stellenbosch Museums are dotted all around this historic town. Many works at the museums reflect the history, culture and diversity of the South African people.
- Rupert Museum
- Stellenbosch University Museum
- Stellenbosch Village Museum
- Toy & Miniature Museum Stellenbosch
- Burger Huis
1. Rupert Museum
One of the more modern and contemporary museums in Stellenbosch. With its primary focus on the Arts. It has a gallery and numerous exhibitions. They have a restaurant on site.
2. Stellenbosch University Museum
“To conserve, transform and promote the rich heritage of Stellenbosch University”. Their mission statement.
- The Anthropology section of the University Museum holds an irreplaceable African collection.
- A continuous exhibition displaying objects from various regions of Africa and relates to human society and culture.
- This display reflects the people of Southern Africa including Nguni, Sotho, Venda, Shona, Kavango and Bushmen/San people.
- Solomon Caesar Malan (1812-1894) a brilliant young student and a Swiss-born Englishman from India.
- A mixture of luck and accident led him to paint a number of Cape scenes in 1839.
- These African treasures found its way to Stellenbosch 30 years ago.
- One can regard his works of art as the equivalent of the photographs taken by the modern day tourist. This was a way of recording one’s experiences back in the day.
- Maggie Laubser (1886-1973): she had a special relationship with the University.
- The museum is in the building that housed the Bloemhof “Meisieskool”. An Afrikaans girls high school in Stellenbosch where she received her secondary school education here.
- She bequeathed about 140 of her works to the university. Influenced by German expressionism.
3. Stellenbosch Village Museum
- The first house the museum restored was the Schreuderhuis.
- Built in 1709, this house survived the first great fire in Stellenbosch. The oldest restored and documented town house.
- The second home in the museum complex is Blettermanhuis.
- Restored and furnished to reflect the homes of the wealthy in the period of 1750 – 1790.
- The Grosvenor House – built by Christian Ludolph Neethling in 1782.
- Renovated by successive owners and reached its present day appearance in 1803.
- O.M. Bergh, the 4th historical home.
- It originally had a thatched roof and gables similar to those of Blettermanhuis.
4. Toy & Miniature Stellenbosch Museum
The museum houses a collection of 1:12 scale of miniature toys, room boxes, antique dolls, dinky cars, cuddly toys and more.
The museum is small and will attract persons who wishes to reconnect with their past. It showcases an extremely detailed and realistic blue train of South Africa.
Cabinets filled with miniature tea cups, dinky cars, carriages, bears and the world’s smallest kitchen (in a matchbox) from the 1920s. You will find a reversible doll of cloth (ragdoll) and 100 year old dolls in their period clothing.
5. Burger Huis – Stellenbosch Museum
The Burgerhuis (Burger house) is a cultural museum in Stellenbosch. It is one of a group of historical buildings that surround the village green. The village green is a landmark in Stellenbosch and named “the Braak” by the villagers.
Stellenbosch has an interesting and diverse past which can be see in its collections of old and new. The whole town is an honour to the South African people as it is a display of its rich history and culture.
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