The Owl House

Description

The Owl House is a unique attraction and museum in Nieu-Bathesda, Eastern Cape. The house used to belong to a woman named Helen Martins and when she passed away, her home was opened to the public to view the way she used to live.

Helen used cement, glass and wire to decorate her home, and later built sculptures in her garden. In 1964, she was joined by Koos Malgas who helped her construct the sculptures of owls, camels, and people. After years of her eyes being exposed to fine crushed glass, her eyes began to fail, causing her to commit suicide by ingesting caustic soda in 1976 at the age of 78. According to her wishes, the Owl House has been kept intact as a museum and declared a provincial national monument in 1991.