Indigo Nights wrote:

> In addition to Sutter's Mill in Sacramento--which has
> some of the most remarkable docentry and is a great
> historical site--are there other musea dedicated to
> the subject of gold?
>

In an attempt to offer something of use may I offer the following
response:

I have just received an invitation to the opening of the `Gold of Africa
Museum'. Situated in Cape Town this museum is `dedicated to the history
and artistry of African gold'. Amongst other artefacts, gold artefacts
excavated at the Thulamela site in the Kruger National Park (normally
housed and curated at our museum on behalf of the South African National
Parks Board) and artefacts from the Mapungubwe site will be on
exhibition. Both these sites have close ties with Greater Zimbabwe.

In addition the town of Pilgrim's Rest
(http://www.places.co.za/html/pilgrims_rest.html) is developed as a
living museum depicting different periods of the gold rush in that
region.

Barberton (http://www.places.co.za/html/barberton.html) also has
museum(s) and sites which deal with the gold rush in that area, amongst
others the first stock exchange in South Africa.

George Harrison Park http://www.geosites.co.za/historicalgold.htm),
where the Main Reef which led to the development of the city of
Johannesburg was discovered, is developed as a site museum.

Gold Reef City (http://www.goldreefcity.co.za/), a more commercial
venture, also aims at telling the story of the discovery of gold in
Johannesburg. Here one can go underground in some of the old workings,
watch the pouring of gold bars, etc.

Roodepoort Museum (http://www.museums.org.za/roodepoortmuseum/) also
deals with the discovery of gold in the Johannesburg area.

MuseumAfrica
(http://southafrica.geopassage.com/attraction.asp?attrID=34) also deals
with gold in Johannesburg and explores the social issues arising out of
the gold mining industry.

The Museum of the Council for Geosciences (CGS)
(http://www.geoscience.org.za/divisions/collections/main.htm) deals with
gold from a more technical point of view, as does the Bleloch Museum
(http://www.wits.ac.za/science/geology/bleloch.htm#top).

The examples above are all from South Africa. During the ICOM meeting in
Melbourne in 1998, one of the excursions was to Bendigo
(http://www.hitech.net.au/ianje/Bendigo.htm) where one can also go
underground and take a historic tram tour of the city.

--

 Glyn Balkwill
 Acting Manager
 National Cultural History Museum
 PO Box 28088
 SUNNYSIDE
 0132  RSA
 Tel(w):27 (0)12 334-6082; Tel(h): 27 (0)12 664-1973; Cell: 27 (0)82
770-7826
 Fax   :27 (0)12 328-5173; Email : [log in to unmask]

 Any opinions expressed are strictly my own

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