Today, you can (sort of) walk through some of the world’s most famous cultural spaces – from New York’s MoMA to the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, and even the White House – with just a few clicks, from the comfort of your desk. You can also do virtual tours of some of South Africa’s finest museums and galleries. Some are world-famous; others are waiting to be discovered. They’re all right on your digital doorstep.
Origins Centre
Wits University’s Origins Centre celebrates the history of modern humankind and is hard to beat when it comes to Heritage Day-themed museum visits. The virtual reality (VR) aspect is… okay. The alternate reality augmented reality (AR) element is where the really amazing experience is. Cleverly designed to add a layer of understanding to your real-world visit, the Augmented Reality app turns your mobile phone into a handheld museum of its own.
Look out for: The digital reconstructions of ancient hominins and their tools.
Johannesburg Art Gallery (JAG)
Rembrandt, Toulouse-Lautrec, Pissarro, Picasso, Millet, Manet, Lichtenstein, Sekoto and Goldblatt. They’re all here, at the JAG. If you can’t get to Joburg, this virtual walkthrough will do the trick, letting you “walk” through the rooms and click on artworks that interest you. If you’re even vaguely into art, you’ll wonder how you missed this absolute gem.
Look out for: Yellow Houses by Gerard Sekoto, the first painting created by a black artist to be bought by the gallery.
Huguenot Memorial Museum
Millions of South Africans trace their heritage to the Huguenots, Protestant refugees who fled religious persecution in France and settled in what are now the Cape Winelands. The Huguenot Memorial Museum in Franschhoek tells their story – and it’s all lovingly reproduced in a virtual space where you can see everything from the history to the architecture and even furniture styles that followed these settlers to South Africa.
Look out for: Video descriptions of various artefacts, including the list of founding mothers.
Phansi Ubuntu Art Museum
Located at the Ubuntu Cultural Centre in Kwa Kangella near Berea, Durban, the Phansi Museum celebrates South African heritage with gorgeous artworks and artifacts. It’s also been given the Google Arts & Culture treatment, which means you can examine the artworks up-close (albeit virtually).
Look out for: An installation in the room on the left at the end of the passage way that showcases African pottery, wood-carved animals and bead art.
Robben Island
Now a UNESCO World Heritage site, Robben Island is where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years. The virtual tour takes you to the island’s most (in)famous sites, including the Limestone Quarry and, of course, the Maximum Security Prison.
Look out for: An array of non-prison related landmarks, including the Penguin Boardwalk and the Han Cheng shipwreck, a Taiwanese fishing trawler that ran aground off the island's coast.
Iziko Museums of South Africa
Also in (virtual) Cape Town, you have the Iziko Museums’ Virtual Exhibitions. Take your pick from the immersive dinosaur-themed Boonstra Diarama or The Journeys of the São José, which takes a deep dive into the global history of a slave ship.
Look out for: The Tata Madiba Virtual Exhibition, which tells Nelson Mandela’s story.
!Khwa ttu
The real-world !Khwa ttu Heritage Centre, located on the West Coast, is well worth the 70 km drive from Cape Town. If you can’t get there in person, though, the museum’s virtual twin does a superb job of showcasing the unique heritage of the San people, with a detailed walkthrough of the entire space.
Look out for: An exhibit of hunting tools used by the indigenous Khoi San at the start of the tour.
Ditsong Museums
Ditsong is a collection of eight natural and cultural heritage museums, four of which have been given an eye-opening virtual treatment. Your favourite will depend on your interests, but while the Willem Prinsloo Agricultural Museum and the excellent National Museum of Military History are worth a virtual visit any day, the Kruger Museum and Pioneer Museum are our recommendation for Heritage Day.
Look out for: San rock art and Iron Age figurines at the National Museum of Cultural History.
While visiting a museum or gallery in person is always the first prize, whetting your appetite with a virtual tour is an option worth exercising, especially if the one you want to visit isn't in your area. Give these tours a try to discover more about your history, heritage and the impressive artistic talent in Mzansi. You'll need a stable internet connection to experience these virtual tours. Check out these Vodacom Home Internet options for a good deal.
