For Attwellthea Marthinus, the Hermanus Old Harbour Museum is more than a workplace. It is woven into her childhood, her family memories, her professional journey, and, most recently, the legacy of a father who encouraged her to follow her heart.
Today, as the museum manager, Attwellthea carries the responsibility of preserving and sharing the town's and its people's stories, a role she describes not as a job, but as a calling.
Her journey began before she officially entered the museum sector. As a young girl, she spent many holidays with her family around the Old Harbour area and regularly visited the museum on school excursions. She also remembers accompanying her father, Attwell Filander, to the Rossouw Art Gallery in Hermanus. Her father was a self-taught artist, and those visits left a lasting impression on her.
“I was fascinated by the beautiful artworks displayed on the gallery walls,” she recalls. “I believe that was where my love for museums, art and heritage began to grow.”
After matriculating in 2009, Attwellthea enrolled at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) and graduated in 2014. The following year, she joined the Old Harbour Museum as an Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) intern on a year-to-year contract.
Attwellthea’s time at the museum introduced her to the importance of heritage conservation and local history, and in 2017 she returned to UWC for occasional studies. Life was also changing in other ways. In August 2018, she became a mother – an experience she describes as bringing immense joy and purpose to her life.
In 2019, an invitation to return to the Old Harbour Museum took her back to the place that had already become so meaningful to her. She accepted without hesitation, and she has never regretted it.
In October 2022, Attwellthea reached another significant milestone when she was appointed museum manager, succeeding the respected Elizabeth du Toit. Having worked closely with her predecessor for many years, Attwellthea considers herself fortunate to have received Elizabeth’s mentorship and guidance. Elizabeth's dedication to heritage preservation continues to influence how Attwellthea approaches her own role.
And it’s her father who is connected to one of the most meaningful chapters of her museum journey. In October 2015, Attwellthea's father was a member of a group that opened Sir William Hoy and Lady Hoy’s burial site on Hoy's Koppie. She remembers how excited he was to share the experience with her, and encouraged Attwellthea to remain in the museum sector, reminding her that she was fortunate to work with the town’s rich history.
Attwellthea’s father died in July this year. His passing has left a void, but also a powerful sense of gratitude. “He was my greatest supporter and one of my biggest inspirations,” she says. His belief in her continues to accompany her as she carries out the work they both valued. Today, Attwellthea's vision for the museum is firmly rooted in community.
As she continues to steer the Old Harbour Museum into the future, Attwellthea hopes to inspire a greater appreciation of the town's shared heritage and encourage generations to value, protect and participate in the stories that belong to all of us.
In doing so, she is preserving the past – and helping shape how the next generation will remember it.
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