With school holidays on the way, now is the time to plan some educational trips for you and your family.
There are loads of amazing museums around the country, packed full of wonderful exhibits.
Johannesburg
The Apartheid Museum
Located right next to Gold Reef City, the Apartheid Museum takes visitors on an emotional journey through our past, which ends with a message of hope.
A harrowing but informative experience that should be high on your list of Joburg attractions to visit. The architecture alone makes this one a must-see.
Where: Corner of Northern Park Way and Gold Reef Road, Johannesburg
When: Monday to Sunday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Cost: R80 for adults, R65 for children
Contact: Call 011 309 4700, or visit apartheidmuseum.org
The Origins Centre
Wit’s Origins Centre is home to a spectacular museum which explores human history in this country from its beginnings in the Stone Age through to the apartheid era.
Exhibits are all narrated by a brilliant audio-guide. The section on the Khoisan people is particularly enlightening, showing the often untold history of South Africa’s oldest people group.
The Origins Centre also offers DNA Ancestry Testing Experience once a month. The DNA Ancestry Testing Experience also includes two insightful public lectures from.
The tests include a Y-chromosome test for men, and a mitochondrial DNA test for both men and women (so if you want to go with a male blood-relative only he will need to take the test); and will show your ancestry going back tens of thousands of years.
Where: The University of the Witwatersrand, East Campus, Corner Yale Road and Enoch Sontonga , Braamfontein
When: Monday to Sunday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Cost: Entrance to the museum costs R80 for adults and R40 for children. Female DNA Ancestry Testing Kit and Briefing Session is R1400 Male DNA Ancestry Testing Kit and Briefing Session is R2100. Briefing Session and Museum visit only is R275
Contact: Call 011 717 4700, or visit origins.org.za
Cape Town
Iziko South African Museum
Part of the Iziko group, the South African Museum holds an amazing collection of historical items, from 700 million-year-old fossils, to 120 000 year-old stone tools made by our ancestors, and traditional clothing from all over South Africa.
Located next to The Company’s Garden, the South African Museum is walking distance from several other historical landmarks, including the South African National Gallery, the South African Jewish Museum, and St George’s Cathedral.
Where: 25 Queen Victoria Street, Gardens
When: Monday to Sunday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Cost: R30 for adults; R15 for children, pensioners, and students
Contact: 021 481 3800 or visit iziko.org.za
The Old Harbour Museum
The Old Harbour Museum is a complex of three museums located around Hermanus’s scenic Market Square. They are the perfect spot to learn about the whales that visit South African waters annually and the little fishing village made famous by them.
On public holidays and weekends, so long as the weather permits, there is a market in the square by the museums. There you’ll be able to find great local crafts and goodies, which will make awesome presents.
Where: Marine Drive, Market Square, Hermanus
When: Monday to Saturday 9:00 am to 4:30 pm,
Cost: R20 for adults, R5 for children
Contact: Call 028 313 0418, or visit old-harbour-museum.co.za
Durban
The Port Natal Maritime Museum
With a panoramic view of Durban Harbour, The Port Natal Maritime Museum is the ideal place to learn about our country’s rich naval heritage.
There you’ll find interactive displays of old ships you and your little ones can explore, while you learn the amazing tales of the adventurers’ who dared to explore the dangerous seas surrounding our country.
The Port Natal Maritime Museum is located right next to the Durban Harbour and is only a six-minute drive from uShaka Marine World.
Where: Bay end of Samora Machel Street, Durban
When: Monday to Saturday 8:30 am to 4:00 pm, and Sunday and Public Holidays 11:00 am to 4:00 pm
Cost: R5 for adults, R3 for children
Contact: Call 031 322 9598
Durban Natural Science Museum
Packed fill of interesting specimens and exhibits for you to explore, the Durban Natural History Museum is a wonderful place to take the whole family to learn about nature.
While the museum may be one of South Africa’s smallest, it still boasts a complete T-rex skeleton, as well as displays on dodos and other extinct animals. There’s even an Egyptian mummy for those of us who are fascinated by the builders of the pyramids.
The museum is located in the Durban City Hall – which is also home to the Durban Art Gallery and Public Library.
Where: City Hall, 234 Anton Lembede Street, Durban
When: Monday to Sunday 9:00 am to 4:00 p
Cost: Entrance is free
Contact: Call 031 311 2256, or visit durban.gov.za
