Shortly after the establishment of the village of Somerset in 1825, a plot at the foot of the Boschberg was granted to the Wesleyan Church for the erection of a Chapel and to serve as a “burying” ground, the oldest in town.  The Chapel was opened in 1828.  A few years later, the property was transferred to the Dutch Reformed Church and by 1835, the building had been converted into a Parsonage (Pastorie).

During the 105 years that the building was used as a Parsonage, it was occupied by the Morgan, Pears and Hofmeyer families.  Five generations of Hofmeyrs occupied the Parsonage for some 88 years.

It was declared a Province-aided Museum and a National Monument in 1972, and the Museum was officially opened in 1975 after restoration.

Situated in picturesque surroundings, the Georgian Museum building today forms part of the Boschberg Nature Reserve, and acts as a centre for all activities in the reserve.  These include Group Adventure activities, Blue Crane Route Environmental Education Centre and open air classroom for learner groups, as well as a network of hiking trails.

The graveyard is home to the gravesite of Ouma Dora Jacobs, died in 2003 at age 122, then the oldest person in the world.

The permanent exhibition on the 1815 Slagter’s Nek Rebellion opened in 2006, and offers insight into events which happened around the world in the same era.