The Observatory Museum is a satellite of the Albany Museum in Grahamstown. Originally a home and shop designed by watchmaker and jeweler Henry Carter Galpin, the museum stands as a testament to his wide-ranging interests in astronomy, optics, natural history, music, and mechanics. Galpin’s eclectic passions are intricately reflected in the design and ambiance of this unique destination.

In the topmost tower is the only Victorian Camera Obscura in the Southern Hemisphere. Through the system of lenses and mirror in the revolving turret in its roof, this ingenious device projects an enchanting full colour live panorama of the town and its activities onto a flat viewing surface in a darkened room. Beneath it, Galpin built a Meridian Room where he could ascertain the precise time of local noon - 14 minutes behind South African standard time. The nearby Telescope Room contains his 8-inch reflector telescope which was initially installed in the rooftop observatory, from which the house got its name.