Visit these Tshwane museums for free this week to mark International Museum Day

In celebration of International Museum Day, held on May 18, the City of Tshwane is offering free entry into a number of its museums during International Museums Week from May 16 to 20.

International Museum Day has been celebrated around the world since 1977 in a nod to the importance of museums to promote peace and foster cultural exchange, mutual understanding and co-operation between people.

This year on International Museum Day, visitors are invited to attend The Power of Museums, a temporary exhibition at the Es’kia Mphahlele Library in central Pretoria.

For the rest of the week, all seven Ditsong museums in Pretoria will offer free entry, including the Kruger Museum, National Museum of Cultural History, National Museum of Military History, Pioneer Museum, National Museum of Natural History, the Tswaing Meteorite Crater and the Willem Prinsloo Agricultural Museum.

Participating heritage sites include the Voortrekker Monument and Nature Reserve, Freedom Park, Melrose House Museum and Fort Klapperkop Heritage Site.

Art lovers can visit the Javett Art Centre at the University of Pretoria and the Pretoria Art Museum while the Unisa Museum of Anthropology and Archaeology will also participate, as will the Veterinary History Society of SA (by appointment) and the Geo-Science Museum at the Council for Geoscience.

To learn more about service delivery and national structures, there’s the SA Police Services Museum, the SA Post Office Museum, the SA Air Force Museum, the Wonderboom Military Museum and a tour of Coin World at the South African Mint. 

A short drive out of the city, visitors can pay a visit to Cullinan, where free entry can be had at the historical McHardy House Museum and the history room and diamond display housed at Cullinan Tourism.

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