Albany Museum, History museum in Makhanda, South Africa
The Albany Museum is a history museum in Makhanda spread across seven buildings displaying geological collections, natural history objects, and archaeological finds. It includes specialized sections such as the Natural Sciences Museum, History Museum, Observatory Museum, and Fort Selwyn.
The museum was founded in 1855 from collections of the Eastern Province Literary, Scientific and Medical Society, making it South Africa's second oldest museum. Its growth reflects the increasing interest in regional natural and historical studies during the 1800s.
The museum displays objects from Khoisan communities and preserves stone tools discovered near the Great Fish River. Visitors can observe how early inhabitants lived and worked in this region.
Visitors should allow time to explore all seven buildings as each has different focuses and can be visited separately. The complex is located within the city and is easily accessible, with the ability to walk between locations.
The museum preserves fossils from the Waterloo Farm lagerstatte and maintains a herbarium with plant materials dating back to 1812. These botanical collections were gathered by William John Burchell and offer rare glimpses into regional vegetation across several centuries.
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