Durban — One of South Africa’s most important heritage collections will move to a new R632m home when the KwaZulu-Natal Museum is relocated.

The museum, which opened in 1904, is also home to the Centre of Scientific Research and has outgrown its current premises at 237 Jabu Ndlovu Street in Pietermaritzburg.

Its new home will be built on the site of St Anne’s Hospital at 96 Jabu Ndlovu Street.

Construction is expected to start next year and be completed in December 2029.

An artist’s impression of the new home of Pietermaritzburg’s KwaZulu-Natal Museum at the site of historic St Anne’s Hospital. | Supplied

The popular tourist and education amenity is the custodian of collections in 10 cultural history galleries, including archaeology, rock art, historical anthropology (particularly relating to the Zulu and Nguni people) and European settler history. It has eight natural history galleries housing an array of mammals, including the last wild elephant in the province. Other natural history items on display are birds, amphibians, insects, an extensive mollusc collection, and a life-size model of a Tyrannosaurus rex.

The museum’s public relations and marketing officer Viranna Frank said the current site was inadequate for its expanding needs, and no longer provided optimal conditions to ensure the preservation of its important collections.

She said the lack of adequate parking at the current site affected accessibility and posed safety risks for visitors, particularly school groups and children.

Parts of the old St Anne’s Hospital building will be used in the new home of the KwaZulu-Natal Museum. | Shelley Kjonstad/ Independent Newspapers

Frank said the redevelopment of St Anne’s Hospital, which was constructed in the late 1800s and early 1900s, into a modern museum complex would involve a mix of restoration, demolition and construction to create a comprehensive edutainment and preservation facility.

Frank said the official planning for the project had started in March 2020 with the appointment of a team led by Sakhisizwe Architect. The Covid-19 pandemic had interrupted progress and delayed the processes of obtaining approvals for development on a heritage site.

“As the custodian of heritage sites in KwaZulu-Natal, the KwaZulu-Natal Amafa and Research Institute (Amafa) has to approve development plans, which it has done. However, further approval will be required before structures are demolished, altered or extended. The Amafa processes include elements of public participation processes,” she said.

Frank said the scope of work includes extensive demolition and restoration of selected buildings, as well as the construction of new facilities.

She said the new museum would have large exhibition spaces to house its collections, ensuring that the cultural and scientific artefacts continue to be accessible to the public.

Parts of the old St Anne’s Hospital building will be used in the new home of the KwaZulu-Natal Museum. | Shelley Kjonstad/ Independent Newspapers

Speaking of the new location, she said there would be increased office space for staff members, and modern state-of-the-art storage and research facilities for natural and human sciences collections.

“There will be educational facilities such as lecture theatres and multi-purpose halls. Visitor amenities include an internet cafe, museum gift shop, secure undercover parking, drop-off point and bus parking for school and tour groups. These new features will significantly enhance the museum’s capacity and visitor experience,” added Frank.

The buildings housing the KwaZulu-Natal Museum in Pietermaritzburg can no longer create optimum conditions for the preservation and display of vital heritage and natural history collections. Picture: Shelley Kjonstad Independent Newspapers

Department of Arts and Culture communications head Zimasa Velaphi said the department would be covering all the costs. She said the estimated cost based on the concept design was R631 717 283. However, consultants were busy with the detailed design, after which the costs might change and would once again be considered before the project was advertised.

“Upon completion of the project, the current museum building will be returned to the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure as the custodian of all government buildings,” said Velaphi.

Independent on Saturday

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