This house museum was originally built as the home for a well-to-do Cape family during the late 18th century. It houses some of the best pieces of Cape furniture and silver in the country, in addition to a priceless collection of ceramics. A household such as this would only have been able to function with its share of servants and slaves, and recent research has brought to light the names and professions of some of these people, as well as the kinds of activities they would have pursued.
The house opened its doors as a museum in 1914, after the deaths of its last private owners, Marie Koopmans-de Wet and her sister Margaritha[J1] , and is the oldest house museum in the country. Marie Koopmans-de Wet, after whom the museum is named, was well known during the South African War for assisting the orphans and widows of the Boer republics.
Enquiries:
Wieke van Delen
Tel: +27 (0)21 467 7203
Email: wvandelen@iziko.org.za
