CP Nel Museum, Country museum in Oudtshoorn, South Africa
The CP Nel Museum occupies a sandstone building from the Victorian era, marked by a tower with Corinthian capitals. The structure houses collections related to the region's economic history and a functioning prayer room from the 1800s.
The building was constructed in 1907 as a boys' school and faced demolition in the 1960s until local residents saved it. It was later converted into a museum and opened to the public in 1972.
The museum shows how the town once depended on the feather trade and the role Jewish communities played in local life. The rooms and objects tell the story of people who built businesses and raised families here.
Visitors can see the main building and a preserved residence from that period, with access to both parts included. On-site guides help you understand the collections and architecture more fully.
The building contains a functioning prayer room used by the Lithuanian community since 1896, making it one of the few active synagogues within South African museums. This space remains a living part of both the museum and the community.
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