CP Nel Museum
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
CP Nel Museum is an ostrich museum on 3 Baron van Rheede Street in the town of Oudtshoorn in South Africa.
The building, formerly the Boys High School of Oudtshoorn, was designed in 1906 by a local architect Charles Bullock. Its green domed sandstone facade is considered one of the finest examples of stone masonry anywhere in South Africa. The school hall was designed in 1913 by J.E. Vixseboxse.
The museum was named in honour of its founder Colonel C.P Nel. A series of dioramas traces the history of ostriches and the impact of ostrich farming on the town and its community. Displays in the museum also depict the cultural history and the lifestyle of the people of the Klein Karoo region, and the museum prides itself on its replica of an early 20th century pharmacy. There is a section of the museum devoted to the role of the Jewish community in the development of Oudtshoorn's feather industry.
The museum was declared a national monument in 1981.