GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - The Hester Rupert Museum is located in Church Street and is housed in the fifth oldest church building in South Africa. It was built and consecrated as a Dutch Reformed Mission Church in 1821, 35 years after the founding of the village of Graaff-Reinet in 1786. 

It is also one of the three remaining Dutch Reformed Church buildings built on the traditional cruciform plan.

The museum was named after the mother of Dr Anton Rupert. According to the museums websites the building was saved from demolition in 1965 when it became known that a petroleum company was negotiating for its purchase to erect a filling station of the site. 

When Dr Anton Rupert, a son of Graaff-Reinet and Chairman of the Rembrandt Group of companies, heard about this he immediately entered into negotiations with the petroleum company who, fortunately, realised that to destroy the building would be a grave error.

"The Rembrandt Group then acquired the building and Dr Rupert undertook to have it restored and converted into an art museum on condition that a sufficient number of South African artists would donate for this purpose an example of their best work. 

"On 26 July 1966 the art museum, with a total of 90 paintings and sculptures donated by 83 artists, was opened by the then State President, Mr C.R. Swart, and given in perpetual trust to the Town Council of Graaff-Reinet. In gratitude, the Council named the museum the Hester Rupert Art Museum in honour of Dr Rupert's late mother. 

"The building was declared a national monument on 4 October 1968."

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