Discover Kimberley: Big Hole, museums and memorials

Kimberley offers several distinct themes to consider when planning a trip: the diamond history of the Big Hole, memorials to historical experiences, and art and culture. If you are looking for a hotel in Kimberley, these themes can help you shape your stay around your interests. The places offer different perspectives: the visitor centre focuses on diamonds, the search for them and the wealth that resulted; memorials and galleries offer their own historical and cultural perspectives.

Big Hole: diamond history and guided tour

The Big Hole visitor centre presents the complex history of diamonds, the people who searched for them, the tools they used and the wealth that resulted. Its themes thus cover both the search and the tools used, as well as the wealth it generated. From the visitor centre, guests can join a guided tour led by a guide from the site. Individuals and families do not need to book. The Big Hole site is wheelchair accessible.

Another historical perspective is offered by the tram established by the Victoria Tramways Company: from 1887, it transported people to the Big Hole. The guided tour and the history of transport thus offer different ways of exploring the site. Those particularly interested in diamond history will find both the visitor centre’s themes and a historical connection to the journey people made to the Big Hole.

Memorials with different historical connections

The Honoured Dead Memorial is a provincial heritage site in Kimberley. It commemorates those who defended Kimberley during the 124-day siege in the Anglo-Boer War of 1899 to 1902 and died in the process. The specific duration of the siege and its connection to the war give this commemoration a clearly defined historical context.

The Malay Camp Memorial commemorates people from Malay Camp who were forcibly removed from their homes between 1939 and 1959. The two memorials therefore represent different events: the Honoured Dead Memorial relates to the siege and the defence of Kimberley, while the Malay Camp Memorial relates to the forced removal of people from their homes. This distinction can help you understand the historical themes behind each site during your visit.

Art, literature and museum collections

The William Humphreys Art Gallery is located in Kimberley’s Civic Centre and opened in 1952. It was named after its principal benefactor, William Benbow Humphreys (1889–1965). Its activities include temporary exhibitions, support classes for pre-school children and arts and crafts workshops for unemployed women. It also hosts lectures, video screenings and concerts. Art workshops are aimed primarily at children. The programme therefore ranges from exhibitions to various workshop and event formats.

The Sol Plaatje House Museum has a different focus: it houses a library of African literature and presents exhibitions about Sol Plaatje’s life and the participation of Africans in the Anglo-Boer War. The Duggan-Cronin Gallery is an outpost of the McGregor Museum. It houses part of the photographic archive and collection of ethnographic artefacts of photographer Alfred Martin Duggan-Cronin (1874–1954). Together, these places offer different cultural perspectives, from literature and biography to photography and ethnographic objects.

Art in the Northern Cape

Beyond Kimberley, the William Humphreys Art Gallery’s outreach programme takes graphic art exhibitions to smaller towns in the Northern Cape, where learners are introduced to art. This regional connection complements the local art and museum sites with a broader view of the gallery’s work across the wider travel region.

More destinations

Discover more destinations: West End, Hartswater, Barkly West.

Go to the main travel overview: Frances Baard.