This, the first open air museum in South Africa, was established for the study and lively presentation of Boland farming practices.

 

The modern display building were given a form that would be memorable, yet sympathetic to the vernacular werf buildings, which in turn are clearly full scale “dioramas” supplementing the modern displays.

 

The werf which had been hidden behind a berm, is first seem on entering the generous entrance foyer where a model assists with orientation and history panels provide background information

 

A cafeteria off the foyer opens onto a vine-covered terrace. Modern displays were designed with adjustable timber uprights into which display panels are fixed at various heights. Filtered south lights provide natural light.

 

Berms and hillocks were formed to screen the road boundaries, and the werf planted with fruit trees, traditional hedging material and plants related to the various farming activities, such as soapmaking lye plants.

 

The full-scale “diorama” buildings eg. kapstylhuisie and boerehuisie are exact replicas of existing Boland buildings, or dismantled, transported and rebuilt on site in the case of the tobacco shed.