Event information
This museum houses a small collection of artefacts that have been amassed over the decades since the existence of the town of Barberton. There are daily knick-knacks, mining equipment, plus small artefacts from the bygone age of gold mining and panning.
In 1998 a Mr Otto Elkan donated a considerable collection of mining specimens, including quartz and historical items which were then displayed in the Carnegie Library. Over time the collections have expanded and today the Barberton Museum consists of the Main Museum where the geology, mining and general history of the region is on show. Other museums that are part of the Barberton Museum complex include Belhaven, Stopforth House and Fernlea Museums, as well as Block House.
One can learn about geology, mining history and the general history of the area. The content goes back to the time when gold was first discovered here in 1884, when prospectors and fortune hunters arrived in their droves to try their luck. It explains how this little town flourished, and then when gold was discovered in the Witwatersrand region, the hoards moved on and Barberton reverted to being a charming country town. The museum is famous for its historic displays of black and white photography.
