Bartolomeu Dias museumWestern Cape, South africa
Bartolomeu Dias museum of Mossel bay, a view of the shell museum 1
A maritime museum in Mossel bay named after Bartolomeu Dias — a famous 15th century Portuguese explorer and the first European to sail around the Southern tip of Africa.
It is a complex of several buildings, including a granary, maritime museum, shell museum, the Munrohoek cottages and a botanical garden.
The granary serves as the entrance and holds a photographic display of mountain passes near the area. It is a reconstruction of an older granary from 1786.
The maritime museum holds a history of the area's people as well as early European explorers and their technology — including a replica of the ship used by Bartolomeu Dias.
The shell museum is the largest of its kind in Africa and houses aquariums, shells and Molluscs from all over the world, as well as displays about their usage.
Outside, on the museums's grounds are the post office tree, a botanical garden with plants found in the area, a Malay grave facing east, as well as a spring used by Bartholomeu Dias and other explorers — still flowing to this day.
On the far end are the Munrohoek cottages, said to be some of the oldest in Mossel bay — built in 1830 by early Dutch settlers.
What to do thereExplore the museum, see or know more about Mossel bay's past and its marine life.
Sight seeing on the grounds nearby that provide spots for picnics, whale watching and good views of the bay.
Best time to visitDuring spring and summer or August to January.
Location of Bartolomeu Dias museumIn Mossel bay's city centre, near the harbour and shoreline.
How to get thereBy vehicle, boat, walking, cycling, train, bus.
There is a sea port and train station nearby.
References1. By PHParsons - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35792772
It is a complex of several buildings, including a granary, maritime museum, shell museum, the Munrohoek cottages and a botanical garden.
The granary serves as the entrance and holds a photographic display of mountain passes near the area. It is a reconstruction of an older granary from 1786.
The maritime museum holds a history of the area's people as well as early European explorers and their technology — including a replica of the ship used by Bartolomeu Dias.
The shell museum is the largest of its kind in Africa and houses aquariums, shells and Molluscs from all over the world, as well as displays about their usage.
Outside, on the museums's grounds are the post office tree, a botanical garden with plants found in the area, a Malay grave facing east, as well as a spring used by Bartholomeu Dias and other explorers — still flowing to this day.
On the far end are the Munrohoek cottages, said to be some of the oldest in Mossel bay — built in 1830 by early Dutch settlers.
What to do thereExplore the museum, see or know more about Mossel bay's past and its marine life.
Sight seeing on the grounds nearby that provide spots for picnics, whale watching and good views of the bay.
Best time to visitDuring spring and summer or August to January.
Location of Bartolomeu Dias museumIn Mossel bay's city centre, near the harbour and shoreline.
How to get thereBy vehicle, boat, walking, cycling, train, bus.
There is a sea port and train station nearby.
References1. By PHParsons - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35792772
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