# The Big Hole in Kimberley — Citylit

A viewing platform, museum and reconstructed mining town around the historic excavation.

Canonical page: https://citylit.vercel.app/kimberley/entertainment/the-big-hole

Source check dates describe our catalog research, not live confirmation by the venue. Opening hours, prices and accessibility can change. Unknown facts are not confirmed unavailable. City-reference coordinates and city photographs must not be treated as venue locations or venue photos.

## The Big Hole

A viewing platform, museum and reconstructed mining town around the historic excavation.

- City: Kimberley, Northern Cape, South Africa
- Category: Entertainment
- Address: Tucker Street, Kimberley
- Citylit page: https://citylit.vercel.app/kimberley/entertainment/the-big-hole
- Official website: https://thebighole.com/
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Hole
- Sources checked: 2026-10-15
- Coordinates: longitude 24.7623, latitude -28.7282 (CITY REFERENCE ONLY; venue coordinates unknown)
- Coordinate source: City centre reference

The Kimberley Mine or Tim Kuilmine (Afrikaans: Groot Gat, lit. 'Big Hole') is an open-pit and underground mine in Kimberley, South Africa. It has been considered the deepest hole excavated by hand, contending the title with Jagersfontein Mine.

About source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Hole; checked 2026-10-12; license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/.

### Practical facts
- admission: paid (verified); checked 2026-10-15; source: https://thebighole.com/visitors-info/
- booking: Individuals and families do not need to pre-book. Groups of 20 or more should contact the operator. (verified); checked 2026-10-15; source: https://thebighole.com/visitors-info/
- stepFreeEntrance: Unknown / unconfirmed (unknown)
- accessibleToilets: Unknown / unconfirmed (unknown)
- parking: Unknown / unconfirmed (unknown)
- publicTransport: Unknown / unconfirmed (unknown)
- family: Unknown / unconfirmed (unknown)
- environment: Unknown / unconfirmed (unknown)
- durationMinutes: 90 (editorial-estimate); checked 2026-10-08; source: Citylit editorial planning estimate
- price: Operator rates dated March 2026: adults R160, children 4–12 R120, students up to 23 with student card R130. Check current concessions and packages. (verified); checked 2026-10-15; source: https://thebighole.com/visitors-info/
- entryPriceZAR: 160 (verified); checked 2026-10-15; source: https://thebighole.com/visitors-info/
- openingHours: Daily 08:00–17:00; closed Christmas Day. Guided tours normally run hourly from 09:00, with the last tour at 16:00. (verified); checked 2026-10-15; source: https://thebighole.com/visitors-info/
- accessNotes: The operator describes the facility as wheelchair friendly. Confirm access to the particular tour and viewing areas you need. (verified); checked 2026-10-15; source: https://thebighole.com/visitors-info/

### Sources
- Big Hole: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Hole; fetched 2026-10-08; retrieved during research
- The Big Hole official visitor information: https://thebighole.com/visitors-info/; fetched 2026-10-15; retrieved during research

### Photographs and credits
- https://citylit.vercel.app/images/06322ea2b4fe.jpg — Open-pit diamond mine (known as the Big Hole or Kimberley Mine) in Kimberley, South Africa.. Venue photograph. Author: Irene2005; license: CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0); source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Open_pit_mine.jpg
- https://citylit.vercel.app/images/9849bd9b2de0.jpg — A sign next to the Big Hole, reading "If all the diamonds recovered from the Kimberley Mine could be gathered together they would fill three cocopans such as these".. Venue photograph. Author: Rudolph Botha; license: CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/); source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BigHole_Cocopan.JPG

## Further reading
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Original descriptions are Citylit editorial content. Wikipedia excerpts and photographs retain their separately linked licenses. No blanket license covers all third-party material.