Museum background
The theme of Paarl Museum is the history of Paarl. Our museum allows an
in-depth look at the town’s rich and varied cultural heritage. This starts
with early man, Homo erectus, through the later indigenous Khoisan populations
and deals with the changes brought about by European colonisation, including
slavery.
Our collections are displayed in a U-shaped Cape Dutch house, which dates
back to the 18th century. Paarl Museum is situated on the farming
property, which was granted to Pieter Janz van Marseveen by Governor Willem
Adriaan van der Stel in 1699. This building served as the parsonage of the
Thatched Roof Church, the private residence of the Thom family, as well as a
hostel for boys from Gymnasium High School. It was renovated in 1939 to be
used as a museum. Today, our charming museum has a superb collection of
Cape Antiques, artefacts, documents, and photographs that portray the rich,
cultural diversity and development of Paarl.
