Seven out-of-the-ordinary museums to visit in South Africa
Looking for unusual museums to explore in South Africa? Here are seven really cool, unique museums you must check out…
South Africa offers a fascinating blend of culture, history, art, science, and quirky attractions, and its museums are no exception. Here are seven of the most unusual museums you can visit in South Africa…
1. The Owl House in Nieu-Bethesda
The Owl House is an eccentric art museum created by outsider artist Helen Martins, who transformed her home into a magical, almost surreal wonderland of sculptures and glasswork. It features hundreds of concrete sculptures of owls, camels, and other animals, all set in a mystical environment.
2. The Heart of Cape Town Museum in Cape Town
This museum is dedicated to the world’s first successful human heart transplant performed by Dr. Christiaan Barnard in 1967. You can tour the original operating theater and see life-sized recreations of this groundbreaking medical procedure.
3. Museum of South African Rock Art in Clanwilliam
This museum showcases ancient San and Khoi rock art found in the Cederberg region, one of the richest areas for rock paintings in the world. The museum provides insight into the spiritual and cultural life of early hunter-gatherer societies.
4. The Franschhoek Motor Museum in Franschhoek
Car enthusiasts will love this museum, which houses an impressive collection of vintage and classic cars spanning over 100 years of automotive history, from early models to modern supercars.
5. The Nelson Mandela Capture Site in Howick
This open-air museum marks the site where Nelson Mandela was arrested in 1962, leading to his 27 years of imprisonment. The highlight is an optical illusion sculpture of Mandela’s face, made of 50 steel columns.
6. The Karoo Desert National Botanical Garden in Worcester
This is a “living museum” of the Karoo and desert flora of Southern Africa. A unique museum for nature lovers, it features a remarkable collection of succulent plants from arid environments, integrated with educational exhibits on desert ecology.
7. Bathurst Agricultural Museum in Bathurst
The Bathurst Agricultural Museum in the Eastern Cape celebrates South Africa’s agricultural heritage. It houses an extensive collection of old farming equipment, tools, and machinery, some of which date back to the 19th century.