Drostdy Museum

The Drostdy was built in 1747 after Swellendam was declared the third oldest district of colonial South Africa by the Dutch East Indian Company. The town itself is the 7th oldest formally established town in the country.

The Drostdy was used as both a residential and administration building for the Dutch Landdrost as well as for the civil commissioner and resident magistrate during the British colonial period. In 1846, it became private property and in 1943 opened its doors as a museum.

The Drostdy is an excellent example of Cape-Dutch architecture and one of the last remaining structures of the Dutch administration. The Old Gaol at the Museum is the second oldest jail in the country. The Museum tells the stories of the Khoekhoen, the Europeans and enslaved people of the district and the town’s key role in developing the Overberg region into an economic hub.

The Museum Complex expands over an area of 6.5 hectares and comprises out of 20 buildings and gardens.