Located in Nieu Bethesda in the Eastern Cape, the Owl House is a museum in displaying a world of concrete and glass animals all made by Helen Martins and her helper Koos Malgas. The creation of the ‘world’ now known as The Owl House first began around 1945 when Martins, deciding she was bored of her ‘dull’ life and grey surroundings, embarked on a project to decorate her home and garden – a project that would become her life’s work.

All the creatures are made from cement, glass and wire with almost every wall of the interior of the house being covered by crushed glass. Many of the works are inspired by the Bible or poetry with the sculptures predominantly depicting owls, camels and people mostly facing the east.