Museum Africa
Museum Africa
3
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Located in the busy Newtown Cultural Precinct, this multi-media museum includes an audio/visual display of Nelson Mandela’s treason trial.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
3.0
82 reviews
Excellent
12
Very good
20
Average
25
Poor
21
Terrible
4
barry p
Chapel Hill, NC256 contributions
Jan 2018 • Couples
When I first visited this museum in 1994 it was fantastic.it had pictorial areas on all the key struggles during the apartheid era, it had an amazing section on shabeens and their music. Tthese are the drinking houses in townships and they allowed you to listen to the music of each era from the 1930’s through 1980’s. it had other wonderful areas. Today this is a pale version of the old museum. The apartheid components are gone –off to the apartheid museum. But many great components are missing. And the museum is horribly curated—the wonderful set of masks and dolls are poorly labeled or not labeled at all, the walls of pictures form townships and African life from over the decades are not labeled at all. this is now a museum to be ignored until they get a director and staff that make it into a real museum. And parts of the collection—floor of cameras seem so out of context. The only components laid out well were a. a tiny exhibition on a piece of the life of a leader in the development of Orlando and a section on Gandhi developed by the Indian government.
Written 16 January 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
paulo f
Fernando de Noronha, PE22 contributions
Mar 2020 • Friends
It is free , but not things to see !! Doesn’t worth only if you are so close. Looks like a science school for kids.
Written 14 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sonja P
Schweizer-Reineke, South Africa28 contributions
Jun 2017 • Solo
There was a lot on display. Did find the photographic display fascinating, also the display on the cartoonists. But, I feel that there are too many open spaces inside the museum. This could be utilised, by involving the local artists, by letting them have exhibitions inside the museum and also shows etc. Ask entrances at these exhibitions and shows and let the artists whose work are on exhibition share this income. What about a coffee shop and restaurant and a play area or educational area for children. Plus the area around Newtown is absolutely dangerous and I do feel that more public transport should be available that is safe to take visitors from Gautrain to Museum Africa and back. We almost got hi-jacked on the way back to the Parkview Busstation.
Written 14 June 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kiluap
Johannesburg, South Africa47 contributions
Jan 2020 • Solo
Camera Obscura at Museum Africa was close due Technician problem. From last week-23.January we managed to fix it. We would like to invite public to come and experience it.
Written 28 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AaronB75
Toronto, Canada34 contributions
Apr 2015 • Couples
We arrived at around 2pm, and were greeted by two security guards that didn't seem to really know anything about the museum. Walking in, the impressive building seemed to be sagging under its own weight of significant disrepair. On the main floor, there is a gift shop (closed), a small cafe called Bits and Bites (also closed), a central information desk (unattended and blocked off), as well as the entry to the Geology museum (now closed).
There is a very large photography display on apartheid which spans two levels - this was very interesting, even if several of the TV monitors were malfunctioning. There is also an impressive collection of old cameras and photograpic equipment that is worth seeing, if only to marvel at how incredibly out-of-date the "current" photography display is.
As other people have mentioned, there are several unconnected random displays in various states of decay. The restrooms are mostly closed, and the few that are open have signs apologizing for the lack of functioning taps. Over half of the lights were off, leaving us to wander the dimly lit halls in bewilderment, wondering exactly what was the point of the entire museum.
Add all of this to the disintegrating Mary Fitzgerald Square, and it made the entire experience feel quite bizarre. The museum is free, and it shows. It is only worth visiting if you have an hour to kill and you happen to be in the area.
There is a very large photography display on apartheid which spans two levels - this was very interesting, even if several of the TV monitors were malfunctioning. There is also an impressive collection of old cameras and photograpic equipment that is worth seeing, if only to marvel at how incredibly out-of-date the "current" photography display is.
As other people have mentioned, there are several unconnected random displays in various states of decay. The restrooms are mostly closed, and the few that are open have signs apologizing for the lack of functioning taps. Over half of the lights were off, leaving us to wander the dimly lit halls in bewilderment, wondering exactly what was the point of the entire museum.
Add all of this to the disintegrating Mary Fitzgerald Square, and it made the entire experience feel quite bizarre. The museum is free, and it shows. It is only worth visiting if you have an hour to kill and you happen to be in the area.
Written 12 April 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David20130609
Waunakee, WI1,183 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
Under construction and in the inner city. Police station inside the gates.
Not much of the art was available to see.
Call gallery before making the trip, also have return transportation. We finally got a taxi and it was expensive.
Not much of the art was available to see.
Call gallery before making the trip, also have return transportation. We finally got a taxi and it was expensive.
Written 7 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kevin P
Germiston, South Africa57 contributions
May 2018
This is a must visit museum not in the best location but has so much to see. I also enjoyed the photographic section an amazing collection. There is a section of art which needs to be seen. Transport items such as stage coaches penny farthings etc. Their is a section on african culture which I think could be improved on. The section on the minerals / geology was also of interest. I do believe however that the museum could be improved. How about a coffe shop / cooldrinks.
Written 22 May 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sofi NS
Athens, Greece22,988 contributions
Feb 2018 • Solo
This museum is located downtown, quite frankly no the location I would visit after hours but if you hop off the bus and hop back in is OK.
It has some interesting artifacts that range from tribal clothing and masks to wooden carriages from the 19th century. There is a section dedicated to the local minerals and geology, another in old photographic equipment, another in tribal way of living and representation. Finally a section is reserved for modern art exhibition that changes periodically.
I would recommend 1 to 2 hours visit.
It has some interesting artifacts that range from tribal clothing and masks to wooden carriages from the 19th century. There is a section dedicated to the local minerals and geology, another in old photographic equipment, another in tribal way of living and representation. Finally a section is reserved for modern art exhibition that changes periodically.
I would recommend 1 to 2 hours visit.
Written 23 March 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Willy R
Greater Johannesburg, South Africa85 contributions
Feb 2016 • Friends
Not worth the effort, even for free.
As we were in the area , I wanted to show a visitor from London what a ''shebeen'' as per their website looked like.
Not there anymore and a staff member, when asked, looked perplexed.
Static displays and pictures of old Joburg may interest some.
A day visit to the area would be reasonably safe ,but certainly not at night.
A visit to the Market Theatre or World of Beer nearby should lift your spirits after a look around at this wasted space.
Rather spend valuable time at The Constitutional Court and Old Fort.
As we were in the area , I wanted to show a visitor from London what a ''shebeen'' as per their website looked like.
Not there anymore and a staff member, when asked, looked perplexed.
Static displays and pictures of old Joburg may interest some.
A day visit to the area would be reasonably safe ,but certainly not at night.
A visit to the Market Theatre or World of Beer nearby should lift your spirits after a look around at this wasted space.
Rather spend valuable time at The Constitutional Court and Old Fort.
Written 28 March 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Liepollo Leboha... P
Johannesburg, South Africa87 contributions
Jan 2016
Another neglected space where living history/our stories have been buried and lost.This museum could and should have been on par with the British museum in London or MOMI in San FRansisco.It boasted some truly moving installations at some point and was used for book festivals ,book launches and other contributions to the conservation and memory landscape. My last visit a few weeks ago was a sad and empty experience ;met by bare walls ,stale displays and a sense that the place is waiting to die.Horrible and unecessary carnage of an iconic and still very powerful space.
Written 11 February 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kgabonokosi
Johannesburg, South Africa
Hi there. I would like to know what the entrance fee is and whether a booking is necessary?
Written 29 May 2018
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