Page 319 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - South Africa

JOHANNESBURG  317

well as several works from
European schools, including
17th-century Dutch and
Flemish paintings and a
collection of Pre-Raphaelite
artwork. There are also
interesting collec tions of
ceramics, sculpture, furni ture
and textiles on view.
E Constitution Hill
11 Kotze St, Braamfontein. Tel 011
381 3100. Open 9am–5pm daily.
Closed Good Fri, 25 Dec. & Blackburn Buccaneer in the South African National Museum of Military History
7 8 last tour: 4pm
∑ constitutionhill.org.za including the only polar bears in South African resistance
This remarkable develop ment is Africa. It offers plenty of activities movements. It displays more
a living museum document ing and occasionally opens in the than 44,000 items, divided into
South Africa’s turbulent past evenings for night-time tours to 37 separate categories,
and its transition to demo cracy. see the nocturnal animals. including the nation’s official
The site incorporates the Old Across Jan Smuts Avenue, war art and war photography
Fort Prison Complex, a notorious Zoo Lake is a large park with well- collections. It also has some
jail for more than a century established lawns and mature of the world’s rarest military
where many, including Nelson trees. Rowing boats can be aircraft, including the only
Mandela, were imprisoned. hired, and there’s a large open-air surviving night fighter version
South Africa’s Constitutional swimming pool and a tea garden. of the feared German Me 262
Court, established in 1994 after pioneer jet aircraft.
the country’s first democratic E South African National
elections, now occupies the Museum of Military History E Apartheid Museum
eastern side of the complex. 20 Erlswold Way, Saxonwold. Tel 011 Northern Parkway and Gold Reef
646 5513. Open 9am–4:30pm daily. Road, Ormonde. Tel 011 309 4700.
O Johannesburg Zoo Closed Good Fri, 25 Dec. & 7 Open 9am–5pm daily. Closed Good
Cnr Jan Smuts Ave and Upper Park ∑ ditsong.org.za Fri, 25 Dec. & 8 Tue–Sun. -
Drive, Parkview. Tel 011 646 2000. ∑ apartheidmuseum.org
Open 8:30am–5pm daily. & 8 7 Initially opened by the then The darkest days of South Africa’s
- ∑ jhbzoo.org.za prime minister Field Marshal turbulent past are chillingly
Established in 1904, today this is Jan Smuts in 1947 to evoked at this fascinating
one of the best-regarded zoos commemorate South Africa’s museum. To set the mood, there
in the world, with spacious, role in the two World Wars, this are separate entrances for whites
natural enclosures that are outstanding museum also and non-whites. Documenting
home to some 2,000 animals covers the Anglo-Zulu War, the triumph of the human spirit
from more than 350 species, the Anglo-Boer War and the over adversity, the displays recall
the National Party’s apartheid
policy, which came into force
in 1948 and turned 20 million
non-whites into legally defined
second-class citizens. Particularly
powerful exhibits include a room
with 131 nooses representing
the number of political prisoners
hanged during apartheid,
BBC footage taken in 1961 of
Nelson Mandela when he was
in hiding from the authorities,
and a series of evocative
photographs taken by Ernest
Cole before he was sent into
exile during the late 1960s.
Allow at least two hours to
visit the museum, but note
that it is not suitable for
children under 11 because
of the harrowing nature of the
The entrance to the Apartheid Museum, with its separate doorways material on display.

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