Experience South Africa's rich heritage at the Iziko Museums this Heritage Day
Selfie moments in Megalodon’s super jaws, Iziko South African Museum, Heritage Day, 2024.
Image: Supplied / Iziko / G Williams
Locals and tourists will get to enjoy free entry to a number of Iziko Museums of South Africa in Cape Town today in celebration of Heritage Day and carrying forward the national heritage month theme: Remembering, Reflecting and Reimagining our heritage institutions in a new era.
The annual in_herit FESTIVAL is a dynamic cultural programme which gives patrons free entry to its museums on Heritage Day from 9am until 5pm (with last entries at 4.30pm) and comprises a series of walkabouts, workshops, and exhibition highlights.
Visitors can enjoy a range of special activities, live performances, and interactive exhibitions designed to spark curiosity and reflection.
Participating museums:
- Iziko South African Museum, 25 Queen Victoria Street.
- Iziko Slave Lodge c/o Adderly and Wale Streets.
- Iziko Bo-Kaap Museum, Wale Street, Bo-Kaap.
- Iziko South African National Gallery, Government Avenue.
- Castle of Good Hope, c/o Buitenkant and Darling Street.
- Groot Constantia Manor House Museum.
Museums excluded from free entry are Iziko Planetarium and Digital Dome.
The Iziko Mobile Museum, travelled around the Western Cape and country to bring the ‘museum without walls’ to communities unable to visit physically. The Mobile Museum visited at the Retreat Public Library in Retreat this week.
Image: Supplied / Iziko / N Pamplin
This year also marks the bicentenary of the Iziko South African Museum.
This in_herit FESTIVAL honours South Africa’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, offering the public an opportunity to engage and explore with history, art, and identity.
Music and dance performances by community cultural performers: the Collections Teams will bring the “behind-the-scenes-science” to the fore.
Basket weaving, mock fossil digs, fossil casting, and making sessions allow visitors to get involved.
Iziko Museums of South Africa CEO, Lennox Tukwayo, said: “Our museums belong to all South Africans. As we celebrate 200 years of the Iziko South African Museum, we look forward to welcoming generations of visitors, learners, and researchers to engage with its world-class collections and exhibitions.
“Established in 1825 as the first museum in South Africa and Southern Africa, this bicentenary is more than a milestone — it is a call to action, inviting every citizen to visit, reflect, and reconnect with our shared histories and heritage.”
Patrons are invited to participate in calligraphy workshops to explore a unique fusion of cultures.
The Arabic Calligraphy in Chinese Style (ACCS) script blends Arabic script with Chinese techniques — uniting two sacred visual arts into one graceful style.
The workshop will take place today and tomorrow (September 25) at 12pm until 4pm at the Iziko South African National Gallery Annexe, Government Avenue, Gardens, Cape Town.
Book your spot online via Webtickets https://bit.ly/47IBOMf
On Saturday, September 27, patrons can join author Gaireyah Fredricks for an exclusive book reading and signing event.
Fredericks is the author of 'Een Voet innie Kabr', which immerses the reader into the vibrant and colourful world of the Cape Muslim community.
Fredericks, using her masterful command of Kaaps Afrikaans, invites readers to explore themes of life, death, grief, and faith, interwoven with humour and honesty. Her narratives bring to life unforgettable characters and are a testament to the enduring spirit and rich cultural tapestry of the Cape.
The event will take place at 2pm until 4pm at the Iziko Bo-Kaap Museum, 71 Wale St, Schotsche Kloof, Cape Town, 8001
For more information, visit https://www.iziko.org.za/
chevon.booysen@inl.co.za