McGregor Museum, Kimberley

Housed in a grand former sanatorium built in the 1890s, the McGregor Museum is one of the richest collections in the Northern Cape and a cool, quiet retreat on a hot Kimberley afternoon.

A building with its own history

The museum's home was originally built as a luxury sanatorium by the De Beers company. During the Siege of Kimberley in the Anglo-Boer War (1899–1900), Cecil John Rhodes stayed here, and the building's role in that dramatic period is part of the story it now tells. The elegant architecture alone is worth the visit.

What you'll see inside

The McGregor Museum covers an unusually broad sweep: the geology and natural history of the Karoo and Northern Cape, the region's celebrated San rock art, and the social history of Kimberley from the diamond rush through the 20th century. Exhibits trace the lives of the miners, magnates and ordinary residents who shaped the city, making it a perfect companion to a visit to the Big Hole.

Easy to reach on foot

Because the museum sits in the same historic quarter as Milner House, many of our guests simply walk there. It combines naturally with a self-guided stroll past the area's grand diamond-era homes — an unhurried, car-free morning of Kimberley history.