Museum Africa, Newtown, Johannesburg

The Museum Africa is one of the most beautiful buildings where it lies right next door to the Market Theatre complex in Bree Street, Newtown.

It is also a museum with a difference - people who have visited museums throughout the world remark at the interesting and unique approach to the main displays.

It is not a revisionist African history written by biased Afrocentric scholars. The journey through Africa's history visits places like Kemet, now known as Egypt, Kush (Sudan) and Punt (Somalia), which the ancients called "God's country".

Museum Africa is about a time the world forgot; a time very little of the world knows; a rich history with which a generation of black children can identify and correct the record on African history as it has been presented up until now.

The Museum's collection and research focuses on indigenous African cultures, history and archaeology, and linguistics, and the collection of rock art is more than impressive. The collected works of art contain many local artists as well as Pre-Raphaelite and Impressionist paintings.

One of the main displays covers the Treason Trial where more than 150 people, including Nelson Mandela, Albert Luthuli and Walter Sisulu, were charged with treason, with no convictions.

The defendants are each portrayed in a display that contains their portrait and a small biographical plaque. Under each portrait is a little red book in which the public is invited to write comments and facts about the person.

Hours:

• Tuesday - Sunday, 09:00 - 17:00

Cost:

• Free

Tel:

• +27 11 833 5624

Address:

• Old Market Building, 121 Bree Street, Newtown, Johannesburg, Gauteng