THE NATIONAL TREASURE THAT IS THE NATIONAL ENGLISH LITERARY MUSEUM

The drive up to Worcester Street is long and as arduous as its potholes; the walk is not that much better but once you get to the National English Literary Museum, referred to affectionately as NELM, then all the troubles are worth it.

Living under the shadow of the intellectual giant that is Rhodes University, it is not uncommon for people not to have heard of NELM. When people think of a museum, they think of an old red-brick building full of patrons as old and dusty as their manuscripts and exhibitions. Not NELM; the National English and Literary Museum is not some red-bricked building in the corner of town. Instead, it is a towering marble monument to English literature that stands on a hill overlooking Grahamstown. Described as a very modern museum for such a sleepy hollow, the National English Literary Museum collects all creative writing written by South African authors. It collects everything from novels to short stories; from essays to poetry and from memoirs and diaries to plays, nothing is safe from NELM’s reach. Approaching NELM is an intimidating sight; four trees stand sentinel to its front doors; it walls of glass reflecting the sun and blinding those that approach it from the wrong angle. In-between the parking lot and the entrance are stairs that lead down to an amphitheatre; in the middle of the amphitheatre is a platform and, on that platform, the is a stunning gaze at all that surrounds you. Not to mention the fantastic acoustics. Around the corner stands three giant pencils, each writing their own message on the ground which can be read on the plaques. Standing in the midst of such great pencils, one can imagine the works of the literary giants that are housed with the walls of the National English Museum. The pencils guide you towards a walk-way, which winds past a beautiful pool and fountain to a sculpture. The sculpture is a bronze book, with its pages blowing in the wind, surrounded by beautiful vegetation and fynbos. A truly beautiful building that houses a truly beautiful vision

The National English Literary Museum was founded in the 1960s when all it had was a couple of old manuscripts by the late Professor Guy Butler of Rhodes University. In 1980, it became a Declared Cultural Institution and is now funded by the Department of Arts and Culture. Although it is autonomous, it is affiliated with Rhodes as a research institute. Thirty years after its founding, it was awarded The Molteno Medal by the Cape Tercentenary Foundation for it’s achievements in preserving African heritage. In 2016, NELM received a 5-star rating from the Green Building Council of South Africa, the first museum in this country’s history to do so.

The mission of the National English Literary Museum, as stated by the Department of Arts and Culture, is to maintain and extend the museum’s collection of South Africa’s English literary heritage and to serve as a source of expertise through phenomenal research, conservation and exhibition. The department also states that the National English Literary Museum epitomises and embodies the cause of the humane values such as tolerance, acceptance and inclusivity that are so nobly and memorably embedded in our literature.  “All South Africans who write creatively and imaginatively in English have a place in our museum, irrespective of their origin, mother tongue, personal convictions or age”. 

Crystal Warren is the manager at the National English Literary Museum, as well as a former literary researcher, along with Tom Jeffery. They say that NELM now has fantastic new permanent exhibitions which tell the tales of South Africa through literature, with both video and audio and two touch screens. In their upstairs gallery, they house temporary shows and exhibits. On the 9th of March 2019, they held a temporary exhibition titled, “Voices of Protest” which is an exhibition of letters between authors and publishers that explores apartheid-era literary censorship. Crystal states that the museum’s mandate will be changed to bring all of South Africa’s national languages into its care, with the exception of Sesotho and Afrikaans which already have their own museums. However, this change only happens at a parliamentary level and has not been enacted as of yet. Not only is it an excellent institution that offers impressive research facilities for visiting researchers, the Education and Public Programmes Division offers activities for school outings and regularly hosts book launches. The museum’s facilities are available to hire for all, including an indoor theatre, an amphitheatre and two lecture venues.

Nestled away in the far corner of Grahamstown, is a beating heart of literature and culture, and it will only get bigger from there. The drive may be long and the walk longer still, but once you gaze upon the three towering pencils and the marble monument to great works, you will forget why you even doubted yourself.