Galleries and Museums near Breede River Valley
*Distances are shown as the crow flies and are not necessarily the actual travelling
distance.
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Villiersdorp (42.7 km from Breede River Valley) The Tractor Trekker Museum houses a world-renowned collection of privately owned tractors and engines. No longer limited to tractors, the museum has broadened its exhibits to include stationary engines, trucks, bakkies (pick-ups), and farm and household utensils. The extensive collection of privately owned vintage tractors date to 1920 and are beautifully restored and in running condition. The museum can be found behind the Kelkiewyn Restaurant.
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Montagu (56.4 km from Breede River Valley) Famous for it's indigenous medicinal plant project, the beautifully restored Joubert House is well worth a visit. The oldest house in the village of Montagu, it bears a rich history and has a rustic yet elegant charm.
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Franschhoek (56.6 km from Breede River Valley) The Huguenot Memorial Museum in Franschhoek portrays the history of the French Huguenots, before and after their arrival to the Cape Colony.
The building is in fact a rebuilt replica of the Saasveld building, originally owned by Baron Willem Ferdinand van Reede van Oudtshoorn, once located next to present-day Kloof Street in Cape Town. The home was demolished in 1954; every brick was counted and reused to rebuild the museum where it is now in Franschhoek next to the Huguenot Memorial.
A large variety of items are on display, including sets of furniture, silver ware, kitchen utensils, documents and artefacts illustrating the life of the Huguenots at the Cape of Goof Hope. After exploring the museum, take a stroll to the memorial and relax in the garden. Visitors are also welcome to enjoy a picnic on the lawn.
Hours: Monday to Saturday: 9:00 - 17:00;
Sunday: 14:00 - 17:00.
Closed on Good Friday and Christmas Day.
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Franschhoek (58.2 km from Breede River Valley) The Franschhoek Motor Museum offers visitors a special opportunity to look back at more than 100 years of motoring history with its unique and exciting collection of vehicles, motorcycles, bicycles and memorabilia.
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Franschhoek (58.3 km from Breede River Valley) Friendship, good food, wine and brilliant entertainment – the Barnyard Theatre in Franschhoek is where it all comes together.
The first Barnyard Theatre started as a homely, rustic farm theatre in Plettenberg Bay where friends and family could be entertained and eat, drink and talk into the small hours of the morning. It proved to be such a winner that more Barnyard Theatres started popping up all over the country.
There are currently 12 Barnyard Theatres in South Africa. While each theatre is a product of its individual setting, they all retain the quaint rustic charm of the original farm theatre’s humble beginning.
The Barnyard Theatre at Bridge House hosts professional productions, jazz, choirs and corporate functions. Bring your own picnic basket or order a la carte.
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Paarl (72.1 km from Breede River Valley) This is a living museum with interactive exhibitions situated in the Oude Pastorie. They have a superb collection of Cape antiques, artifacts, documents and photographs that portray the collective heritage and development of Paarl and the Afrikaans language. There is also an on-site conference centre.
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Paarl (72.2 km from Breede River Valley) This fine gallery showcases superb contemporary artworks from a selection of local and international artists.
Check up regularly to keep up to date on new exhibitions and events.
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Tulbagh (75 km from Breede River Valley) Saronsberg Theatre is the warm heart of theatre and music in the Tulbagh Winelands, offering a regular line-up of South African legends and some rising stars.
Popular shows and musical favourites are hosted every week, with Blues and Jam sessions taking place on Wednesday evenings. Enjoy a simple meal or a glass of wine with the show.
+27 (0) 23 230 1782
www.saronsberg-theatre.com
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Stanford (76.8 km from Breede River Valley) Situated in the heart of the Overberg, the quaint village of Stanford is just half an hour outside of Hermanus and an hour and a half from Cape Town.Stanford Gallery exhibits the work of latter day South African artists of the past few decades, as well as prominent contemporary artists and notable emerging artists. Mosey around and you might find an etching by Pippa Skotness, a drawing by Pieter van der Westhuizen or a lyrical landscape by Joshua Miles.The Overberg has a wealth of creative talent and Stanford Gallery is committed to promoting local artists whose work is fast establishing a reputation in this region.The gallery has a beautifully appointed studio, which opens onto the village green. Regular workshops explore a variety of mediums from painting and drawing to printmaking. The studio is also available to art societies and groups who would like to make use of it.Need to know? Gallery hours are Tuesday to Sunday from 8am till 5pm.
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Grabouw (78.9 km from Breede River Valley) Paul Cluver Forest Amphitheatre is one of the most unique and awe inspiring settings for performances in the Overberg. A towering Eucalyptus forest circles the intimate 600 seater-arena which has been hewn from farm timber in its entirety. Performances are specifically chosen to match the natural acoustics of the venue.Pack a picnic basket, purchase estate wine and come enjoy an evening of entertainment with great stars, under the stars!Only 45 minutes drive from Cape Town International.Need to know? Blankets, cushions and warm jackets are recommended. Seats are unreserved on a first come, first served basis. Limited table bookings available at an additional cost. (For table bookings call 021 8440605).
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Hermanus (83.5 km from Breede River Valley) The Old Harbour Gallery focuses on local South African Artists. Owner, Margaret Fourie has a magnificent collection of old masters as well as promising contemporary artists works for the discerning art lover. Here you will find quality art with investment potential.
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Stellenbosch (85.2 km from Breede River Valley) Stellies offers a lot more than just wine. Why not spend a day exploring the many historical buildings and Museums in Stellenbosch? There is something for everyone from the V.O.C Kruithuis, an old gunpowder house where war memorabilia is on display, to the Toy and Miniature Museum, where you can take a trip back to the good old days and look at what amused children before computer games and mobile phones.The Village Museum is another must during your stay in Stellenbosch, with its four lovingly restored historic homes which you can view at your leisure, Shreuderhuis, Blettermanhuis, OM Berghs House and the beautiful Grosvenor House. A visit to any of these wonderful historical buildings is sure to be a memorable one, and is a must for anyone visiting Stellenbosch!
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Stellenbosch (86.9 km from Breede River Valley) The Rupert Museum has a wonderful collection of over 350 valuable and loved art works by well known South African artists and can be regarded as the premier collection of contemporary South African art from the period 1940 to 1970. Some of these paintings are still in their original frames.
The gallery showcases the best of South African artists such as, Maggie Laubser, Irma Stern, Alexis Preller, Walter Battiss, Elza Dziomba, Jean Welz, JH Pierneef, Lippy Lipshitz, Moses Kotler, Anton van Wouw and Coert Steynberg.
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Somerset West (91.1 km from Breede River Valley) Walk through an original historic migrant labour hostel. The only preserved hostel in the Wesrtern Cape, Lwandle Migrant Labour Museum is a memorial to the system of migrant labour, single sex hostels and the control of black workers through the identity document which controlled the lives of black South Africans under apartheid - the infamous pass book.The museum reminds residents and visitors of the horrific living conditions that the migrant labour system imposed. Lwandle was established in 1958 with hostel type accommodation for workers in the nearby fruit and canning industry. These hostels were only intended for single men. Hostels provided very basic accommodation with four to six men occupying a small confined space, with an entire block sharing rudimentary ablution facilities. In the 1980s, as the control of the flow of people from rural areas was eased, these hostels became even more overcrowded. Facilities were not provided to sustain the increased population.With the onset of democracy in South Africa, the ANC led government turned the hostels of Lwandle into family type accommodation. Residents of the area felt that at least one hostel should be preserved to sustain a memory of how the system of apartheid had operated and decided to establish a museum. On Workers Day (1 May) 2000 the museum was officially opened by the poet and ex-Lwandle resident, Sandile Dikeni. The museum's exhibits commemorate the trials, tribulations and triumphs of migrant workers and hostel life in Southern Africa. Here you can learn more about the migrant labour system, walk through an original historic hostel, meet members of the community and view the whole township on a guided walk.
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Helderberg Estate (91.7 km from Breede River Valley) Ogle hundreds of sensual stone effigies made by Zimbabwe’s talented Shona artists.
Art Creations Africa is one of southern Africa’s largest exhibitors and exporters of the famous “Hard Rock" stone sculptures from Zimbabwe. Regular exhibitions are held at top hotels, art galleries, wine estates and botanical gardens around the world.
See the Art Creations Africa collection at their gallery in 43 Almond Drive, Helderberg Estate, Somerset West. Open Monday to Friday 08:30 – 16:30 and weekends by appointment only.
+ 27 (0) 21 855 0131
www.artcreationsafrica.com
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Franskraal (96.8 km from Breede River Valley) Strandveld Museum is quite the outing. It was the original house of the Headman of Dyer Island when he came to the mainland. The privately owned museum hosts a collection of original furniture of the Headman over the years, as well as relics from the Birkenhead shipwreck. A little known fact is that when the big storms hit this coastline, the museum is battered and has so has to be restored - a common topic discussed by the locals.
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Swellendam (97.5 km from Breede River Valley) Kunstehuijs Fine Art Gallery specializes in original art by prominent South African artists.
The owner, Grady Zeeman, is well known for her emotional and humanitarian paintings and has participated in numerous exhibitions in USA, UK, Italy, France and China. Art is shipped worldwide.
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Bredasdorp (97.5 km from Breede River Valley) This treasure chest of a museum specialises in shipwrecks along the South African coastline and contains showpieces specific to the Overberg.
Three sections make up the museaum – one of which is the Shipwreck Museum. Housed in the old former Independent Church, you will find an amazing assortment of cannons, figureheads, chinaware, coins, ships' bells, buoys and other life-saving equipment.
The Old Parsonage, a typical Strandveldhuis (Overberg home), is furnished with articles collected along the coasts. Here too, for safekeeping, is a collection of newspaper cuttings and other trivia salvaged from various wrecks.
The Old Coach House exhibits Cape carts, a scotch-cart, two horse-drawn hearses and a splendid old fire engine. The buildings alone are beautifully restored examples of old Cape architecture - well worth a visit!
Need to know? Open Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 16:45, Saturday from 09:00 to 14:45 and Sunday from 10:30 to 12:30.