Visit these local museums this week for free
Organised on May 18 each year, the International Council of Museums (ICOM) established International Museum Day in 1977.
With International Museum Day approaching, Tshwane residents can visit selected museums for free all week.
Organised on May 18 each year, the International Council of Museums (ICOM) established International Museum Day in 1977.
The day is meant to symbolise the fact that “museums are an important means of cultural exchange, enrichment of cultures and development of mutual understanding, cooperation and peace among peoples,” according to ICOM.
This year the Tshwane metro and the Ditsong Group of monuments and museums (an agency of the Department of Sports, Culture, Arts, and Recreation) under the theme “Museums, Sustainability and Well-being” are encouraging residents to visit their facilities this week.
“Museums are key contributors to the well-being and to the sustainable development of our communities. As trusted institutions and important threads in our shared social fabric, they are uniquely placed to create a cascading effect to foster positive change,” reads a statement.
“There are many ways in which museums can contribute to achieving the sustainable development goals: from supporting climate action and fostering inclusivity to tackling social isolation and improving mental health.”
HERE ARE SOME MUSEUMS THAT ARE TAKING PART IN THE INITIATIVE
The various museums that have agreed to partner in the initiative include:
– Ditsong: Willem Prinsloo Agricultural Museum
Located on the farm Kaalfontein, the museum is offering free entry from May 15-21. Its normal operating hours are from 07:30-18:00. The museum showcases the history of the development of agriculture in South Africa from the Stone Age until 1945.
– Voortrekker Monument and Nature Reserve
The Groenkloof-based museum history is well documented and remains a symbol of Afrikaner heritage visible from any direction in Pretoria. Operating hours are from Monday to Sunday, 08:00-16:00. The museum offers amenities such as a chapel, conference room, gallery, open spaces for picnics, braais, pictures and lots more historical sites.
– South African Police Service Museum
Located on Pretorius Street at the Compol Building the museum officially opened on September 23, 1968. Operating hours are from Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 15:30, Saturdays from 08:30 until 12:30 and Sundays from 13:00 to 16:00. The museum captures the history of South African crime and cultural history divided up into exhibitions.
DISCOVER PRETORIA’S RICH MUSEUM SCENE
– The South African Post Office Museum
Started in 1974, the Post Office Museum is located on Palace Street in central Pretoria. The SA Post Office and Telkom were still one company at the time before they became divided in 1991. The museum is home to a collection of unique objects that forms the core of the activities for exhibitions, public programmes and research detailing South African philatelic history. Operating hours are from Monday to Friday, 09:00-15:00.
– University of Pretoria museums
Operating hours are from Mondays to Fridays from 08:00 – 16:00. Visitors can enjoy an array of collections from the two main museums, the Old Arts Building (1910) and the Old Merensky Building (1937) located on the Hatfield campus.
ART AND CULTURE COME TOGETHER
– The Javett Art centre at the University of Pretoria
In partnership with UP, the Javett Art Centre believes in shaking the groundwork of the concepts regarding the arts through expression from an acadmic and public standpoint. Operating hours are from Tuesday to Sunday 10:00-17:00 and it is situated at UP’s South Campus, 23 Lynnwood Rd, Hatfield.
Built during the early 1930s, the Pretoria Art Museum was officially opened in 1964 as a platform to exhibit South African art as European works had mostly dominated the cultural space. Located on the corner of Francis Baard and Wessels streets, Arcadia, its operating hours are from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00. The site is offering free entry from 16-21 May.
– Fort Klapperkop Heritage Site
Fort Klapperkop is one of the four forts erected by the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR), led by Paul Kruger, between 1896 and 1898. It was built to protect Pretoria against revolts from displeased foreigners whose rights were denied by the ZAR. It’s located on Johann Rissik Drive, Groenkloof, and its operating hours are from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00. The site is offering free entry from 16-21 May.
A PERFECT WAY TO SPEND THE DAY WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY
Through its displays and exhibitions, Freedom Park aims to educate visitors on the many who contributed to South Africa’s liberation. Located on the of Koch Street and 7th Avenue, Salvokop, its operating hours are from Monday-Sunday 08:00-17:00.
– Council of Geoscience Museum, Ditsong Museum
Formerly known as the Transvaal Museum, the Geoscience Museum was founded as the Staatsmuseum of the ZAR on December 1, 1892. The museum located at 432 Paul Kruger Street, is home to hominid fossils from the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site and associated facilities. Operating hours are daily from 08:00 -16:00.
Located at Gateway, Centurion, the SA Mint details South Africa’s 120 year history regarding the making of currency. Museum tours are available and operating hours are from 09:00-16:00
DO NOT MISS INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM DAY ON MAY 18
– South African Air Force Museum
The Swartkop-based museum houses various historical artefacts of the SAAF both static and flying conditions. Operating hours Monday to Friday from 08:00 – 15:00 and Saturdays from 08:30 – 13:00.
– Unisa Museum of Anthropology and Archaeology
The museum is open from Monday to Friday between 08:00 and 16:00 and is located on the Muckleneuk campus. The museum houses a portion of the collections of Dr Henri-Alexandre Junod, a missionary born in the 1800s. He spent three periods in South Africa between 1899 and 1920. He wrote The Life of a South African Tribe in two volumes and it is recognised as one of the influential anthropological works of its time.
Please note that museums not listed above will require an entrance fee.
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