3 Museums You Should Visit During Your Trip to Johannesburg

Johannesburg City Centre. Photo by Jacques Nel on Unsplash

Johannesburg is one of the largest cities in South Africa, and it will impress you with its rich history. One of the best ways to explore its cultural heritage is paying a visit to many museums it has to offer – including these three.

Apartheid Museum

The system of institutionalized racial segregation following World War II defined the way that people in South Africa lived for decades. Apartheid Museum takes a look a back at this era and stands as a symbol of democracy and diversity that was granted to the citizens of this country once the apartheid became the thing of the past.

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I had to post this photo whether its ‘Gram-fabulous’ or not, this needed to be seen so you could visualise even a semblence of what apartheid was. . . On my arrival to the Apartheid Museum I was handed a ‘blankes’ entry ticket and my friend a ‘non-blankes’ ticket and for 5 minutes we were separated based solely on our allocated skin colour & absolutely nothing else contributed to that. Do you know how insane & barbaric that sounds? My melanin that protects me from the sun meant I was treated less than. . . This museum is a MUST for learning. Its only been 20 years since apartheid was erased but you see here the steps and sacrifices taken by blacks, asians, coloureds and whites to ensure that South Africa is a nation for all. Despite all my pre-reading you learn new things & are left in awe. I came away feeling empowered that NO ONE will ever make me feel less & certainly not due to my beautiful melanin. However the greatest lesson I learnt was the power of forgiveness. It was recognised that without reconciliation & amnesty of the perpetrators the country would struggle to move forward. . . If you visit Joburg please don’t skip this, its too important. Recommended visiting time = 2-3hours & you can make it there by the hop on, hop off city sightseeing bus red route. Discounted entry for students. . . . . . . . . . . #the5to9traveller #apartheidmuseum #historylesson #joburg #visitsouthafrica #neverforget #travelwithpassion #thisissouthafrica #checkoutafrica #travelandlearn #mytraveldiary #themotherland #freedom #equality #jozi #ourhistory #longwalktofreedom #southafricatravel #learnfromhistory #gauteng

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Constitution Hill

In addition to being the seat of the Constitutional Court of South Africa, Constitution Hill houses its own museum. It was once home to the Old Fort prison complex, and the list of its famous prisoners included Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela.

Johannesburg Art Gallery

If you prefer exploring a new country by getting acquainted with the artists who captured its history through their paintings, Johannesburg Art Gallery is a good place to start. It has one of the largest art collections on the entire African continent, ranging from South African works to British and European art.