International Museum Day celebrated

GRAAFF-REINET NEWS — On Friday, 11 May, the Graaff-Reinet Museum, as an affiliate institution of the Sarah Baartman District Office of the Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, celebrated International Museum Day in partnership with the local Department of Education and the Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality at the Graaff-Reinet Museum Complex, the fourth largest museum in the province.

As part of the celebrations, Albany Museum and Bayworld travelled to Graaff-Reinet with their mobile museum units which were established next to Spandau Secondary School's clubhouse on 10 May.

Although the community was invited to visit the mobile museum throughout the day, not many members of the community made use of the opportunity.

The learners from Spandau School, however, thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

On 11 May, Grade 11 learners from the Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality from as far afield as Steytlerville and Klipplaat arrived from very early on at Reinet House to participate in the festivities of the day and to be inspired by the discourse led by Cllr Peters from the Sarah Baartman District Municipality and Cllr Vanda from the Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality.

The Graaff-Reinet Museum opened its doors to the public and invited everyone present to make use of the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the collections and to liaise with the staff that cares for the cultural treasures.

The theme of International Museum Day 2018, 'Hyperconnected museums: new approaches, new publics' was thoroughly discussed and illuminated in essays written by Grade 11 learners from schools within the local municipality. The announcement of the winner of the essay competition was cause for much excitement. The judges were impressed by the creativity, originality and thorough research of the participants.

These traits were found in abundance in the five winning essays: fifth place was awarded to Simamkele Sithebe from Nqweba Secondary School; fourth place went to Wayne Jaftha from Spandau Secondary School, third place was awarded to Qhawekazi Mbayana from Nqweba Secondary School, second place to Chimille Karelse from Jansenville High School and first place to Amanda Mposule from Klipplaat Secondary School.

The winner walked away with a laptop and printer, the second runner up with a laptop and the third runner up with a tablet. The fourth and fifth runners up received a school bag and stationery. All the prizes were sponsored by the Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture: Sarah Baartman District.

The Head of the Graaff-Reinet Museum, Anziske Kayster, conveyed her sincere thanks to all who assisted with organising the event and to the learners and educators from Spandau Secondary School, Nqweba High School, Carel du Toit Secondary School, Aberdeen Senior Secondary School, Jansenville High School, Gcinubuzwe Combination School, Klipplaat Secondary School and Willowmore Secondary School who participated.

Spandau Secondary School learners at the Bayworld mobile museum.