The Braille Trail in the Ethno-botanical Garden at the Dias Museum Complex

A collection of plants that occur naturally in the Mossel Bay area and that were used by the Khoi, San, Coloured, Xhosa and European settlers for shelter, food and medicine as well as for magic and rituals. The Braille Trail makes it possible for sight-impaired people to experience the  collection.

• Bartolomeu Dias Museum Complex
• Private Bag X1, Mossel Bay, 6500
• 1 Market Street, CBD, Mossel Bay
• Phone: +27 (0)44 691 1067
• Fax: +27 (0)44 691 1915
• Email: info@diasmuseum.co.za
• Homepage: http://www.diasmuseum.co.za

BackgroundThe grounds of the Dias Museum Complex include a Braille Trail, as well as Ethno-botanic and Field Gardens with dramatic views of the adjacent Santos Beach and the full sweep of Mossel Bay.

The Ethno-botanic Garden has been planted in the area surrounding the Granary and the Maritime Museum. It contains a collection of plants that occur naturally in the Mossel Bay area and which have been – or are still – used for, food, magic, and medicinal purposes by the Khoi, San, Coloured, Xhosa and European people of the area.

The Braille Trail is incorporated as part of the Ethno-botanic garden so that the visually-impaired can read about, feel, and smell the plants in the collection.

The valley east of the Post Office Tree – the Field Garden – is a natural area of milkwoods (Sideroxylon inerme), wild olives (Olea capensis), and grasses.

The Field Garden features a statue of Bartolomeu Dias, a grassed amphitheatre, and mock archaeology digs where local school children are taught about the archaeology of Mossel Bay (see separate article: ‘Cape St. Blaize Cave’).

INFORMATION

Access the Gardens via the Dias Museum Complex (entrance at The Granary). The Complex is open daily except Christmas Day and Good Friday.

More information: www.diasmuseum.co.za/garden.html

• Latitude    34° 10’48.92″S
• Longitude   22° 8’30.97″E

Download a pdf booklet on the Museums of Mossel Bay here.

Tags: bartolomeu dias, Bartolomeu Dias Museum Complex, braille trail, Dias, dias museum, ethno-botanical, garden, mossel bay