The Big Hole Mine Museum
Why Kimberley Matters
Over the years, we have noticed that many of our guests—whether visiting Kimberley for business or leisure—have wondered why this remarkable city has played such an important role in South Africa's history over the past 160 years.
These pages invite you on a coffee-table journey through Kimberley's past, from the discovery of the Eureka Diamond in 1867 and the Great Diamond Rush, through wars, political change and the rise of the world's diamond industry, to the city we know today. They are not intended to be an academic history, but rather an enjoyable introduction to the people, places and events that shaped Kimberley.
So, make yourself comfortable, pour a cappuccino or a cup of chai, and enjoy exploring the remarkable story of one of South Africa's most fascinating cities.
💎 1869: The Star of South Africa Diamond
💎 1869–1871 South Africa's Great Diamond Rush
💎 1867–1914: From Eureka to the Big Hole
💎 1914–1945: From Diamonds to War
💎 1945–1990: From Oppenheimer to Democracy
Kimberley's Famous Diamond Attraction
Standing on the edge of the famous Big Hole is one of Kimberley's most popular visitor attractions. The Big Hole Mine Museum tells the story of how a quiet farming district became the centre of the world's diamond industry almost overnight.
More than simply a mining museum, it recreates the atmosphere of Kimberley during the extraordinary years of the Great Diamond Rush. Through restored buildings, original artefacts, exhibitions and interactive displays, visitors can experience the sights, sounds and stories of a town transformed by the discovery of diamonds.
The Big Hole from the viewing platform
Visitor Information
Location: West Circular Road, Kimberley
Parking: Visitor parking is located opposite the museum entrance on West Circular Road. A pedestrian underpass provides safe access beneath the road to the museum and the Big Hole viewing area.
Duration: Allow two to three hours to explore the museum, restored town, exhibitions and the Big Hole itself.
Contact The Big Hole:
Tel: 053 839 4600
Email: info@thebighole.com
Where a City Was Born
Following the discovery of the Eureka Diamond in 1867 and the Star of South Africa in 1869, thousands of prospectors from around the world converged on the Diamond Fields. In July 1871, rich deposits were discovered on the farm Vooruitzicht, giving rise to the settlement known as New Rush.
Within months, what had been open veld became a bustling mining camp filled with tents, corrugated iron buildings, trading stores, hotels, workshops, theatres and countless hopeful diggers searching for fortune.
Among those arriving during these remarkable years were Cecil Rhodes, Barney Barnato, Alfred Beit and many others who would go on to shape both Kimberley and South Africa.
Diggers searching for diamonds outside their shacks and houses
The Big Hole
No visit would be complete without standing at the viewing platform overlooking the Big Hole itself.
Excavated almost entirely by hand between 1871 and 1914, the Big Hole remains one of the largest hand-dug excavations ever created.
It measures approximately 17 hectares in area, has a perimeter of about 1.6 kilometres, and reaches a depth of around 215 metres, although subsequent debris and water now cover the original bottom.
Millions of tonnes of rock were removed by thousands of miners using little more than picks, shovels and buckets. As mining progressed deeper underground, increasingly sophisticated engineering techniques replaced the early open workings until operations finally ceased in August 1914.
Exploring the Museum
The museum recreates many aspects of life in Victorian Kimberley. Visitors can stroll along reconstructed streets lined with period buildings, including shops, a church, boarding houses and businesses typical of the diamond rush era.
Inside the exhibition halls are displays explaining the discovery of diamonds, early mining methods, the growth of De Beers, and the people whose lives were changed by the industry. Original mining equipment, historical photographs, maps and personal artefacts help bring Kimberley's remarkable story to life.
Tram at the Big Hole
A Journey Through Kimberley's History
The Big Hole Mine Museum is much more than a collection of mining exhibits. It tells the story of ambition, innovation, hardship and extraordinary change. Visitors discover how diamonds transformed a remote frontier into an internationally important city, laying the foundations of the modern diamond industry and shaping the economic and political history of southern Africa.
Whether you have just an hour to spare or several hours to explore, the museum offers one of the best introductions to Kimberley's remarkable past.
Did You Know?
The development of the Big Hole Mine Museum has witnessed a three-stage evolution since 1952.
Each generation built on the work of the previous one:
- Cyril Harris had the vision to save Kimberley’s historic buildings.
- Basil Humphreys turned them into one of South Africa’s first major open-air social history museums.
- De Beers reimagined the site for the twenty-first century, ensuring that the Big Hole would continue to tell Kimberley’s story long after large-scale mining had ended.
First Generation (1952–1967)
Local historian Cyril B. Harris persuaded De Beers to preserve Kimberley’s historic buildings instead of allowing them to disappear. The earliest museum grew gradually around the edge of the Big Hole as buildings and artefacts were donated by local residents.
Second Generation (1967–1971)
Basil Humphreys transformed this collection into a coherent open-air museum, recreating the atmosphere of Kimberley during the Diamond Rush. His work became the centrepiece of the city’s centenary celebrations in 1971.
Third Generation (2002–2006)
Recognising both the historical significance of the site and the need for Kimberley to diversify beyond mining, De Beers invested R50 million to create the modern Big Hole Experience. The redevelopment combined Humphreys’ historic town with a state-of-the-art visitor centre, interactive exhibits and new viewing facilities, establishing one of South Africa’s premier heritage attractions.
Continue Exploring Kimberley's Story
Kimberley's story is far bigger than a single page.
We hope these articles inspire you to explore more of the city's remarkable history, heritage and attractions. And if your journey brings you to Kimberley, Solomon Edwardian Guest House offers a comfortable base from which to discover it all.