By Khanyisa Khenese
When Henry Carter Galpin met and married his wife, Georgina Luck, in Cape Town in the year 1850, before moving to Grahamstown, it was perhaps unfathomable that 174 years later, their home would be the place for imagining the future of science.
This past weekend, the Observatory Museum hosted a Valentine Mingle that brought together Makhandans of all ages. This experience was enhanced by the lively atmosphere created by the music band Genesis and the Makhanda Marimba Group. The event aimed to celebrate love, both past and present, and, more importantly, help raise R60 000 to secure the future of science.
“We chose this month to celebrate them because, without Henry and Georgina’s story, we wouldn’t have been here today,” said Gcobisa Zomelele, curator at the History Museum.
Speaking to Grocott’s Mail, Museum Curator Zekhaya Gxotelwa, who was also programme director for the evening, said that the funds would also go towards restoring the current exhibitions at the museum. She added that while drawing from Victorian-era science, the money raised will permanently transform the Observatory Museum into an interactive science centre.
“Most of the collection is related to Victorian science because we have the oldest camera, Obscura, in the Southern Hemisphere. It is the only one and the oldest, so it dates back to 1800,” said Gxotelwa, who also referred to the Meridian Room Clock Tower Observatory, dating back to that era.
Albany Museum manager Dr Phumlani Cele said transforming the Observatory Museum into a contemporary Interactive Science space will serve and support the learners and students of Makhanda and keep up with the school’s curriculum. He added that the centre would not replace the curriculum but rather complement it and “help in whatever means when it comes to the information that cannot be provided by a textbook when it comes to promoting science”.
Lindile Jela, Chairperson of Albany Museum board of trustees, also believes the space will help “improve education programmes run by the museum.”
According to Zomelele, the museum will allow community members to participate in the interactive space.
Zomelele added that although the event was a success, due to local sponsors and supporters, the money generated would not be enough to reach their target goal.
“We have many more other fundraising events that we are planning to create. Also, we have a fundraising drive online because we do need a lot of money,” she said.
As part of the ongoing love theme during February, Zomelele encourages other Makhandans to participate in their fundraising efforts by writing love letters to the Observatory Museum and sending them to info@am.org.za or z.gxotelwa@am.org.za. The letters will be published on the museum’s social website and social media pages.
