Rehoboth Museum

Rehoboth Museum

The Hardap Region town of Rehoboth has a very interesting story. Not so much back to its origins when early man were attracted here because of the hot springs, or its founding as a Rhenish mission station but more the story about the Rehoboth Basters who settled here in 1870. The Basters are descendants of people of mixed parentage who travelled over the Orange River from the Cape Colony in South Africa, under their leader Hermanus van Wyk, and settled at Rehoboth.

This story and others are told in the small town museum. The museum also houses a unique collection of material from the area. From the rocks and minerals deposited millions of years ago to an overview of the activities of the Rehoboth government of the 1980s. The old postmasters building which was built in 1903 is home to the museum although the years have seen building extended and renovated. The Rehoboth government (who in 1984 were an autonomous government) decided to establish the museum. It opened its doors in 1986 and its running was later taken over by a Board of Trustees appointed by the Rehoboth Town Council. The Rehoboth museum is world renowned for displaying a unique collection on the history of the Rehoboth Baster people.

Each section of the museum is dedicated to a specific theme, and each is open and accessible to the public. There are experienced museum guides available who can take visitors on a tour that will provide a coherent picture of the history of Rehoboth. The Geology and Archaeology section includes rocks and minerals from Rehoboth and its surroundings which display a wide variety of geological activity over millions of years. The Peoples and Environment section displays objects from the various people groups who have inhabited the region as well as the country, providing an insight in how their daily lives. There is also a display of the regions' climate and flora and fauna. And then, maybe most important for the museum is the section on the Rehoboth government and the town's history. This section provides a unique collection of materials from the old Rehoboth Basters' autonomous government of the 1980s as well as objects that display the history of the Rehoboth Basters since 1870.

Guided tours are available for individuals and groups. The tours can be given in English, Afrikaans or German. The museum is open on weekdays from 09:00 to 16:00 (closed daily from 12:00 to 14:00) and on Saturdays from 09:00 to 12:00. The museum can be opened on Sundays and on public holidays but only by prior arrangement.