Kleinzee Museum
About This Museum
Tucked away on a quiet corner in the diamond-mining town of Kleinsee, this museum feels more like a community's collective memory box than a formal institution. It tells the raw, unvarnished story of the town's lifeblood: diamonds. You won't find sterile displays here; instead, you're met with the very tools, photographs, and personal effects that shaped a hardscrabble existence on this arid coast. The air is thick with the dust of history and the faint, salty breeze from the nearby Atlantic.
Collection Highlights
The centerpiece is a remarkably preserved diamond recovery plant, complete with old-fashioned jigs and sorting equipment that clattered and shook for decades. Personal stories are everywhere, from sepia-toned photos of hopeful prospectors to a miner's modestly furnished dorm room, giving a deeply human face to the industry.
Visitor Information
It's located at the intersection of Third Avenue and Third Street—look for the unassuming building that speaks more of function than flair. Given its small-town setting, it's always wise to check opening hours in advance before making the trip.
Architecture & Building
The building itself is a no-nonsense, practical structure typical of a company mining town, with simple lines and a facade that has been weathered by decades of sun and wind.
Contact & Location
Address: 8282, Nama Khoi Ward 8, Nama Khoi Local Municipality, Namakwa District Municipality, Northern Cape, South Africa
Phone: +27 65 620 8800
