Johannesburg – Enjoying free access to museums in City of Gold

Johannesburg, also popularly called “City of Gold”, is renowned for its largest gold deposit in the world. The city has over the past centuries transformed in a big way and become one of the major cities in South Africa. The city with its numerous attractions, particularly museums, has become one of the prime destinations for tourists in the African continent from different parts of the world.

The city is home to a large number of museums that keep on attracting thousands of tourists endlessly round the year. Some of the museums can be visited after purchasing entry tickets, while there are many museums that offer free admission to the visitors. The museums and other places of interest in Johannesburg where the visitors can gain free entry include Constitution Hill, Museum of African Design, Museum Africa, Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory, Peacemakers Museum, Money Museum, Sophiatown Heritage & Cultural Centre, Worker's Museum, Chancellor House and the Johannesburg City Hall.

Let us undertake a virtual tour of some of these attractions to gain knowledge and insight into the history and culture of Johannesburg. Keeping updated about these major attractions is quite beneficial as this will help in preparing well for your Johannesburg holidays.

Constitution Hill
The Constitution Hill is situated in a large complex in Braamfontein. The massive complex of the Constitution Hill is divided into four parts including the Constitutional Court, the Women’s Gaol, the Old Fort, and the Number 4 prison block. The historic buildings of the Constitution Hill relive the horrors, pains and darkest hours witnessed in 20th century South Africa. The Constitutional Hill complex is home to a wide range of permanent museum exhibits, and regularly keeps the visitors attracted with lectures and art and photography exhibitions. The visitors are offered free access to the Constitution Hill complex, including the Constitution Court.

Museum of African Design
The Museum of African Design is among the first new museum to be established in Johannesburg after past several years. The museum is situated in Maboneng and is presently housed in a vast industrial building. The Museum of African Design prominently features contemporary African art, culture and fashion. This unique museum presents itself more as a cultural laboratory rather than a place of diverse collections. A number of events are also regularly hosted at the museum. The children and students are allowed free access on all days. However, all the visitors to the Museum of African Design are offered free entry on every Thursday of the week.

Money Museum
The Money Museum is located in the Barclays Bank building. This small numismatics museum prominently showcases ancient forms of currency which were used several centuries ago. The museum has an impressive collection of ancient currency forms such as shells and whale teeth. The museum also has a vast collection of coins and modern paper money. Get ready to be captivated by a huge 19th century calculator as well as old-fashioned piggy banks. The museum also showcases Roman coins and bank notes collected from different parts of the world. The visitors are allowed free entry to the museum after furnishing a valid identity proof such as passport or a driver’s license.

Museum Africa
The Museum Africa was formerly a fruit and vegetable market in Johannesburg. It is housed in a magnificent old building. The permanent exhibition of the museum prominently features the customs and origins of different ethnic groups in South Africa. Other major highlights at the museum include an exhibit on Mahatma Gandhi’s time in Johannesburg as well as a history of the political cartoon. The historic photos of the Bensusan Photography Museum and Library and the 19th century cameras form the part of the museum’s impressive collection on the 5th floor of the building. The visitors here are also offered a fascinating glimpse into the collection of precious crystal and gems at the Geological Museum. The Museum Africa is the perfect place to know the history of African people for free.

Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory
The Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory came into existence in the year 2004. It was primarily founded to provide the people access to the archives and works of the Nelson Mandela Foundation. The chief objective of the centre is to showcase the life and times of Nelson Mandela and his lifelong struggle dedicated to the social justice cause of the South Africans. The Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory has also put up a permanent exhibition which will prominently feature Mandela’s struggle for freedom from apartheid rule in South Africa. History buffs will find the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory a great place to see personal artifacts related to Nelson Mandela such as his personal photographs, his Nobel Prize and letters from prison. The visitors will also be able to see the office from where Nelson Mandela used to work from 2002 to 2010. The centre is located only two blocks away from the final residence of Mandela on 4th Street. A number of temporary exhibitions are also being held at the centre. The Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory can be accessed for free by the people.