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museum Africa: About us
Housed in the city’s old fruit and vegetable market – originally built in 1913 and creatively converted into one of the city’s premier museums – Museum Africa tells the story of South Africa. It’s here you’ll find a slice of South African life through the ages.
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Exhibitions

 

Permanent

Birds

Joburg Firsts
Joburg Firsts traces the history of Johannesburg by listing its firsts. 		spacer Birds

Birds in a cornfield
Birds in a cornfield Millions of people in informal settlements – what caused this to happen?		 spacer

My Culture

My culture?
To help identify people, they are often given labels. Explore these imposed categories.

 

 

People before Johannesburg

Before Joburg
Archaeological evidence of early inhabitants.		 spacer

Joburg Tracks

Joburg Tracks

Joburg Tracks
Joburg Tracks looks at the city and its history through the lens of its gay and lesbian inhabitants. Featuring photographers David Goldblatt, Zanele Muholi, Sabelo Mlangeni among others, the exhibition focuses on the lives of eight very different people. More

Cartoons in Context

Cartoons in Context


Museum Africa and the Sowetan's Sifiso Yalo collaborate to showcase a selection of old and new political cartoons. Through accompanying text and images the cartoons are contextualised to take viewers on an unusual journey through South African history. More

 


Collections


Museum Africa deals mainly with the history and culture of southern Africa. It also tells a great deal about the city of Johannesburg, and among the objects in its collection are items from the city's commercial and industrial past, photographs and portraits, church certificates, posters, street plans and maps, coins, stamps, share-certificates, watches, items of daily life including a large furniture collection, and family bibles. There is also an extensive collection on the South African War.
 Camera

 

Research

Historical image collection
The historical image collection has thousands of images relating to Southern African history and culture. Appointments can be made to use the collection from Tuesdays to Fridays, 9am – 1pm. Digital copies of images can be ordered. Email enquiries can be made to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Catalogues and publications for sale
Published catalogues of the museum's pictorial collection can be bought: Catalogue of Pictures in the Africana Museum (7 volumes) published 1966-1972 and Catalogue of Print in the Africana Museum (2 volumes) published 1975-76, of prints made before 1870 in Museum Africa's collection.
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Requests for information about items in the museum are dealt with by the specialist curators of the various collections or can be directed to the Manager: Collections. Email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Publications

 

Contact us

 

Museum Africa
Physical address:
Museum Africa
121 Bree Street,
Newtown
Johannesburg

Postal Address:
Museum Africa
P O Box 517
Newtown
Johannesburg
2113

Tel:   011-833-5624
fax:  011-833-5636
E-mail:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
E-mail for research enquiries: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Join the Friends of the Museum

The Friends of Museum Africa is a registered non-profit organisation, which supports Museum Africa and its branch museum, the Bensusan Museum of Photography.

Contact us: Phone: +27 (0)11 833 5624

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Write to: Friends of Museum Africa Box 517 Newtown 2113
Application form

Past exhibitions


Fosatu history
Child labour
L'Afrique
My dress heritage
Ultra-Furn
Invisible Footprints
SPace

Plan your visit

Where to find us:

121 Bree Street

Newtown

2001

 

Opening hours:

Tuesdays to Sundays, 9am – 5pm (Closed on Christmas Day and the Day of Goodwill)

ENTRANCE FEES:

Free

 

Facilities:

Museum shop and snack shop

 

Parking:

Parking is available in the Mary Fitzgerald Square right outside the museum. There are car guards in attendance.

Calendar

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