Visiting our urban past: the Kimberley mine and Pilgrims Rest museums.

Abstract

• Opsomming: Die museum in Pelgrimsrus en die Kimberley Mynmuseum Verteenwoordig besondere prestasies in die aanbieding van die verlede aan die publiek. Nogtans kan beide, ten spyte van hul inherente bekoring, gekritiseer word omdat hulle nalaat om die kragte onderliggend aan sosiale verandering uit te beeld. Sommige van die teenstrydighede tussen die jongste historiografie se interpretasie van die verlede en die museums se aanbieding van daardie verlede, word in die artikel bespreek. Voorstelle vir die verdere ontwikkeling van die museums om dié vraagstukke aan te spreek word dan ondersoek.• Summary: Both Pilgrims Rest and the Kimberley Mine Museum represent remarkable achievements in the field of public presentation of the past. However, both of these open air, urban museums, fascinating as they are, could be subjected to criticism for their failure to capture the forces of social change. Some of the contrasts between the past portrayed in the more recent historiography and that offered by the museum versions are discussed in the paper. Possibilities for the further development of the museums to deal with the issues raised are then examined.