The Bathurst Agricultural Museum was established in 1970 with a mere 30 items. It was born out of a passion for preserving the agricultural legacy of the Eastern Cape. This collection has grown to over 1900 items housed in a number of buildings just outside the village of Bathurst.
Many of the items in the collection are both rare and unique and have been donated to the museum. There is something of interest for everyone as the collection ranges from ox-wagons, horse-drawn vehicles, agricultural implements and tractors, steam engines, dairy and household utensils, veterinary equipment, and ostrich incubators to name but a few. Visitors can explore a diverse range of farming implements and equipment, including ploughs, cultivators, mowers, hay rakes, and even witness live demonstrations of the mielie sheller and baling process.
There’s also a Black-smithy that has a variety of purpose-made tongs, bellows and forges with a “Champion” forge designed and patented by a 15 year old in 1885.
The Smithy is operational on Hi-days and Holidays by local smithies plying their trade!