By Nangamso Mabindla

The East London Museum, home of the world-famous coelacanth, became the centre of an auspicious gathering of academic minds when it played host to the recent International Ocean and Exploration Conference last month.

Researchers from around the world and local experts spent four days sharing information about the final frontier: the world's oceans.

The East London Museum took its place on the international stage in 1938 with the discovery of the coelacanth. Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer, who played a major part in identifying the fish, was the museum's first curator.

Visitors can still see a cast of "the one that didn't get away" at the museum. "It is one of the most important displays in the museum. This is the original fish that put the city and the museum on the map," says Janet Hasses, the museum's public relations officer.

In an effort to interact with the public, the museum is holding various interesting exhibitions and displays. The latest plans, says Hasses, include an exhibition to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Harley Davidson and the 50th anniversary of the Triumph TR II. These exhibitions will open on 10 December 2003 with display of vintage cars in Queen's Park, which is adjacent to the museum.

The museum's unique displays that attract academics as well as local and international tourists include:

• cast of the coelacanth, which was believed to be extinct until caught by Captain Hendrik Goosen and the crew of the fishing trawler Nerine in 1938;
• the world's only dodo egg;
• a collection of artifacts representing human history from prehistoric times to the history of the Xhosa people;
• displays of maritime history;
• Nguni beadwork; and
• period settings from the late Victorian era to the late 1930s Art Deco style.

To reflect the province's diversity, the museum also has a German Settler Gallery, which depicts the history and culture of German immigrants who settled in the Eastern Cape during the 1850s and made a contribution to the racial mix of South African cultures.

"Tourists, particularly those from Germany, are fascinated to see how diverse the culture is," says Hasses. "They are used to hearing about the Zulu culture, so they are fascinated by the rich culture of the Xhosas. What impresses them even more is what they learn in the German gallery."

Another attraction is the trace of fossil footprints discovered in 1964 near Nahoon Point. These have been identified as over 200 000 years' old and are believed to be among the oldest footprints on archaic man.

Being a coastal city, it is no coincidence that the museum also depicts the development of the harbour and the story of trade and exploration along the coast in the Harbour and Maritime Gallery.

Included in the gallery are the stories of the sinking of the Nossa Senhora de Atalaia in 1647, the Grosvenor in 1782 and the Oceanos in 1991. "All these vessels sank in the month of August, which shows just what sort of weather we have at that time of the year," Hasses says. Coincidently, the Grosvenor and the Oceanos both sank on 4 August.

The museum was first mooted in 1921. Building started in January 1931 on a site on the Selborne Estate, according to Hasses. "The building was officially opened in September of that year and a young lady - a certain Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer - was appointed as the first curator for the new museum."

The museum soon started to make its mark with an ever-growing collection of research material and artifacts. But it was with the discovery of the coelacanth that it became a household name.

As its collections grew, it became clear that larger premises were needed and the new museum - in its current location - was officially opened on 24 November 1951.

Outside the red face-brick building is a cycad garden representing about nine species. Cycads are a protected species in the country.