South Africa's Museums - Culture and Heritage
When exploring another country, another city or even your own home-town, one easy way of getting loads of information, gathered in one place and presented in a logical, informative, and often entertaining manner, is to visit the local museum. Visitors to South Africa, or South Africans exploring their own country, would be hard-pressed to find even the smallest town that does not have some sort of museum, usually documenting the human history of the area, and often showcasing the natural and geological wonders to be found there. While some of these museums may only take a short while to view, they provide fascinating insight into the people and circumstances that shaped the town as it stands today.
In the bigger cities there are likely to be museums built around a theme that may be relevant to the entire country, such as the Apartheid Museum and the National Museum of Military History in Johannesburg, the Nelson Mandela Museum in the Eastern Cape, and the National Cultural Museum in Pretoria. Other museums may deal with a special field of study or interest, such as the Adler Museum of the History of Medicine, or the James Hall Transport Museum, both in Johannesburg.
Certainly much can be learned from museums, many of which came about through the dedication of groups of people who believed, and continue to believe, that museums are of great benefit to the general public. As you explore this beautiful country located on the southern tip of the African continent, be sure to take some time to visit South Africa’s fascinating museums.
User Comments & Reviews
2010-03-08 07:23:08
Dear Antoinette, I'mj not an invertebrate specialist, but I would presume that one could find brachiopods there. My concern is that you might have unknowingly removed some of the fossils. Fossils are potected by law and you need a permit to collect and remove fossils. Info on fossils can be found in several local publications, if you are a student your local University librarian can do an online search for you. There ia also a very good journal called Palaeontologia africana that is packed with fossil papers from local fossils.. Hope this helps. Heidi
2010-02-25 08:01:16
Hi Diane, Thank you for visiting SouthAfrica.com. As we are not directly associated with the museum, we suggest you contact them directly with your query. The official website is found at : http://www.militarymuseum.co.za/ Alternatively, you can join the interactive forums on SouthAfrica.com and post your query there.
2010-02-23 13:14:16
I have a small statue of jesus in a brass casing which was given to me by my grandmother when I was a little girl. She told me that it was given to her during the second world war when she was in Italy. I would like to find out more about this item. Please advise me if you can help or where I can take it to get more information on it. Many Thanks
2009-10-17 21:34:01
I recently found some fossils in the Karoo near Ladismith. Brachiopods, etc. from the Devonian era. Would like to know if these are common to this area / SA. Could not find any records of SA finds. Regards Antoinette
2009-10-02 06:53:18
To Dr SJ Fenton, Please note that SouthAfrica.com is not directly affiliated with the Albany Museum. The following website contains more information on the museum, including contact details and an email contact option : http://www.ru.ac.za/static/affiliates/am/?request=affiliates/am We wish you success in finding the information you are looking for. Regards, SouthAfrica.com Team
2009-10-01 15:10:26
I am trying to find any information on Lettice. E. Thwait . I found two excellent pen & ink drawings done by her depicting South African scenes probably dating to the 19 century. One is of a " Ossewa" pulled by 16 cattle" and the other is of an empty wagon pulled by 14 donkeys. I would appreciate knowing anything about her if in fact she is from the Eastern Cape. Many thanks.
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