East London Museum

The East London Museum was established in 1921 when a museum society was founded with RJ Rattray as President. In 1925 it was granted land on the Selborne Estate by the East London Municipality. The Museum was officially opened on 26 September 1931. By 1945 it needed to expand, so a new site was obtained and the present building was opened in 1950. Further extensions were added in 1982 and on 22 June 2006 a new storage facility, funded by the National Lottery, was opened. Natural history collections include mammals, malacology, reptile, ornithology, pisces and botany. Humanities collections are largely concernec with the history of the people of the Eastern Cape from earliest times to present. These collections include material culture of the Southern Nguni peoples, in particular, one of the most representative collections of Eastern Cape beadwork; San Bushmen, German Settlers, British Settlers, and maritime history which includes the exploration voyages, shipwrecks, salvaging and East London Harbour. Collection highlights have included the excavation of a large fossil reptile skull and skeleton, Kannemeyria simocephalus near Tarkastad in 1934; the discovery of the coelacanth in 1938 which resulted in national acclaim for the Museum; work on trace-fossil footprints found in coastal sandstone rockface, dated at about 120 000 years old – the earliest evidence of homosapiens in Africa; and the recent dating of a skull found at Hofmeyr, placing the skull at between 30 000 and 40 000 years old. The skull is the only specimen from southern Africa at that date. East London Museum also incorporates, elsewhere in the city, an historic house museum, Gately House, acquired in 1966. Gately House, formerly the home of early Mayor John Gately, and its contents are a reflection of late Victorian style heritage. Opening times Mon-Thur 9h30 – 16h30 Fri 9h30 – 16h00 Saturdays 10h00 – 13h00 Sundays and Public Holidays 10h00 – 15h00 Closed Christmas Good Friday Entrance Fees Adults R10.00 Children R3.00 Pensioners R6.00