World Galleries and Museums

Take a trip down memory lane at the Outeniqua Transport Museum. You will be able to see 13 different steam locomotives including a narrow gauge, the Emil Kessler- Johannesburg’s first steam locomotive and the impressive GL Garrett. Also on view are beautiful old carriages such as a coach from the Royal Train of 1947, Paul Kruger’s coach and private saloons. A photographic exhibition displays stunning photos of South African steam. There’s also train travel poetry and displays of crockery and cutlery previously used on main line trains and station restaurants. Road motor vehicles and a private vintage car collection complete the displays. Summer season (1 September to 30 April) Daily excluding Sundays 08:00 – 17:00 Off peak season (1 May to 31 August) Mon to Friday 08:00 – 16:00 Sat 08:00 – 14:00 Closed Sundays 2 Mission Street, George +27 (0) 44 801 8288

Once upon a time in the tiny Karoo dorp of Nieu Bethesda... Helen Martins lay ill in bed, with the moon shining in through the window, and considered how dull and grey her life had become. She resolved, there and then, that she would strive to bring light and colour into her life. That simple decision, to embellish her environment, was to grow into an obsessive urge to express her deepest feelings, her dreams and her desires. And so the the Owl House began.Starting with the interior of her house, she used the emblems of sun-faces, owls and other images. This is all set against a luminous backdrop of walls and ceilings coated with elaborate patterns of crushed glass imbedded in bands of brightly coloured paint.Over twelve years, she and her assistant, Koos Malgas, created fthe hundreds of sculptures and relief figures that crowd the 'Camel Yard' and cover the walls of the house. Her favourite animals, owls and camels, predominate, but all manner of real and fantastical beings are to be found. A procession of shepherds and wise men lead a vast, almost life-size camel train toward an 'East' as designated by Helen Martins, and integrates Christianity with her fascination for the Orient.A stoic double-faced owl watches over the arched entranceway from the street, significantly barricaded by a tall mesh fence and a stand of tall Queen-of-the-Night cacti. Like the elaborately bottle-skirted hostesses within the yard, this arch must have been intended to welcome the visitor into her 'world', but the fence speaks plainly of an increasingly troubled relationship between Helen Martins and the outside world.

Paul Cluver Forest Amphitheatre is one of the most unique and awe inspiring settings for performances in the Overberg. A towering Eucalyptus forest circles the intimate 600 seater-arena which has been hewn from farm timber in its entirety. Performances are specifically chosen to match the natural acoustics of the venue.Pack a picnic basket, purchase estate wine and come enjoy an evening of entertainment with great stars, under the stars!Only 45 minutes drive from Cape Town International.Need to know? Blankets, cushions and warm jackets are recommended. Seats are unreserved on a first come, first served basis. Limited table bookings available at an additional cost. (For table bookings call 021 8440605).

Celebrate a cinema experience beneath the stars in the world's only rooftop trailer park at the Pink Flamingo Cinema. Get your free pop-corn, candy cone and welcome drink with your ticket. Movies start at 19:00. For private screenings call 021 424 7247.

Conveniently situated across the road from the Hugh Exton Photographic Museum and Civic Centre, Polokwane Museum is an excellent spot to while away a few hours. Occupying a lovely late Victorian shop built in 1906; the building was beautifully restored in 1986 and is now a National Monument. Here you can discover the secrets of this city and surrounding region as well as Stone Age and Iron Age artefacts. A highlight of the museum is a display depicting the colourful traditional cultures of Limpopo people. Complete your trip back in time and stroll across the street to the Hugh Exton Photographic Museum for an insight into the gold rush days of Polokwane's beginnings.

Rainy day in the Bay? Why not check out what's up at PE Museum at the Bayworld Complex. Situated on the main beachfront, it delivers a feast of education and entertainment to thousands of visitors each year. March the kids straight to the life-sized reconstruction of the giant prehistoric dinosaur known as Algoasaurus that once lived here. Another leviathan for your pipsqueaks to gawk at is the 15 metre skeleton of the last Southern right whale harpooned in Nelson Mandela Bay. Wannabee pirates will dig the replica of the Dias Cross and a five metre bronze cannon dated 1640, salvaged from a Portuguese galleon wrecked near Port Elizabeth. The Port Elizabeth Museum is a wonderful blend of cultural and natural history and is the third oldest in South Africa. Displays include the Dinosaur, Marine, Bird, Maritime History, Costume and Local History Halls, as well as a Curiosity Corner, Xhosa Beadwork Gallery and the First People of the Bay. Diverse temporary exhibits in the fields of natural science, archaeology and geology regularly spice up what’s on offer. Definitely worth a visit! Open 09:00 – 16:30 every day of the year, except on Christmas Day, 25 December.

Situated in Seven Arches, a gracious Victorian building opposite the Fransie Pienaar Museum, the Prince Albert Gallery was conceived some years ago by local artists who needed a unique venue to show their work. In 2002, six artists elected to create the space and run the gallery and on 10 May of that year the first exhibition was opened.Since opening, the Prince Albert Gallery has held a variety of exhibitions by artists well known both locally and throughout South Africa. Alf Gundersen, David Goldblatt, Sally Arnold, Christine Thomas, Anne Kerr and her mother Erica Berry, installation artist Jo O'Connor, Richard John Forbes and painter Ben Coutouvidis have all exhibited in this space.

A symbol of our freedom and unconventional in terms of museum design, the Red Location Museum is definitely worth a visit. Red Location is one of the oldest townships of Nelson Mandela Bay, named for the corrugated iron barrack buildings which have rusted to a deep red. Many famous political and cultural leaders lived in Red Location and a number of significant ‘struggle’ events occurred during Apartheid. Museum visitors are treated as active participants rather than consumers. The past is represented as a set of memories, disconnected yet bound together by themes using the concept of the Memory Box. This was inspired by the boxes that migrant labourers used for storing their precious possessions when separated from their families. Red Location also draws together the strands of struggle that commemorate the efforts by different groups to free themselves. The museum complex includes an art gallery, market, a creative arts centre, library, adult literacy centre and a conference venue. Corner Olof Palme and Singaphi Streets, New Brighton +27 (0)41 408 8400 Opening Hours: Tuesday to Friday 10:00 - 16:00 Saturday at Sunday 09:00 - 15:00.

The Ron Belling Art Gallery is situated in a beautiful Art Deco house built in 1936. Designed by Gertruida Brinkman, the first woman architect to graduate in South Africa, it is recognized as a significant example of the Early Modern Style. The house has been modified tastefully as a modern art gallery and both the building and the privately owned collection are available for the benefit of the larger community. Ron Belling was South Africa’s foremost aviation artist who produced 1650 paintings during his lifetime. Many of these are exhibited at the gallery, dedicated to his memory in Port Elizabeth. The gallery also exhibits examples of the Marine and Junkers series, the latter almost completed at the time of his death and are on loan from the Ron Belling Memorial Art Trust. Open Monday to Friday 10:00 – 16:00. Weekends on the first Saturday and Sunday of the Month 10:00 – 13:00; third and fourth Saturday of the Month 10:00 – 13:00. Closed every second weekend of the month (Saturday, Sunday, Monday) and religious holidays. A nominal admission fee is payable.

Saronsberg Theatre is the warm heart of theatre and music in the Tulbagh Winelands, offering a regular line-up of South African legends and some rising stars. Popular shows and musical favourites are hosted every week, with Blues and Jam sessions taking place on Wednesday evenings. Enjoy a simple meal or a glass of wine with the show. +27 (0) 23 230 1782 www.saronsberg-theatre.com

South African author, pacifist and political activist, Olive Schreiner, is best known for her novel, The Story of an African Farm. The book was first published in 1883 in London and quickly became a best-seller, despite causing controversy over its frank portrayal of freethought, feminism, premarital sex and pregnancy out of wedlock and transvestitism.The Schreiner House Museum is one of Cradock’s interesting and attractive historical buildings. From 1868 till 1870 it was home to Olive and three of her siblings. Her elder brother, Theo, was principal of the “Government Aided School” in Cradock at the time. The other two siblings were her elder sister Henrietta and her younger brother Will, later Prime Minister of the Cape Colony. Today the Schreiner House is a National Monument containing Olive’s personal library, exhibitions depicting her life and those of her siblings, and copies of all the books she wrote. There is also a bookshop selling a wide variety of books, including Schreiner’s most celebrated work, The Story of an African Farm, as well as other books by and about her.

This treasure chest of a museum specialises in shipwrecks along the South African coastline and contains showpieces specific to the Overberg. Three sections make up the museaum – one of which is the Shipwreck Museum. Housed in the old former Independent Church, you will find an amazing assortment of cannons, figureheads, chinaware, coins, ships' bells, buoys and other life-saving equipment. The Old Parsonage, a typical Strandveldhuis (Overberg home), is furnished with articles collected along the coasts. Here too, for safekeeping, is a collection of newspaper cuttings and other trivia salvaged from various wrecks. The Old Coach House exhibits Cape carts, a scotch-cart, two horse-drawn hearses and a splendid old fire engine. The buildings alone are beautifully restored examples of old Cape architecture - well worth a visit! Need to know? Open Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 16:45, Saturday from 09:00 to 14:45 and Sunday from 10:30 to 12:30.

Situated in the heart of Pretoria, the South African State Theatre is much more than just a complex of theatres hosting world-class shows ranging from Opera, Ballet, Musical, Drama, Cabaret and Children's Theatre. Functioning as a receiving house this unusual, stylish, centrally situated venue can accommodate almost any performance, function or special event. It offers a variety of exciting venues for performances, conferences, festivals, product launches, fashion shows, film festivals, weddings, parties, matric dances and farewells, lunches and dinners.

Situated in the heart of the Overberg, the quaint village of Stanford is just half an hour outside of Hermanus and an hour and a half from Cape Town.Stanford Gallery exhibits the work of latter day South African artists of the past few decades, as well as prominent contemporary artists and notable emerging artists. Mosey around and you might find an etching by Pippa Skotness, a drawing by Pieter van der Westhuizen or a lyrical landscape by Joshua Miles.The Overberg has a wealth of creative talent and Stanford Gallery is committed to promoting local artists whose work is fast establishing a reputation in this region.The gallery has a beautifully appointed studio, which opens onto the village green.  Regular workshops explore a variety of mediums from painting and drawing to printmaking. The studio is also available to art societies and groups who would like to make use of it.Need to know? Gallery hours are Tuesday to Sunday from 8am till 5pm.

Stellies offers a lot more than just wine. Why not spend a day exploring the many historical buildings and Museums in Stellenbosch? There is something for everyone from the V.O.C Kruithuis, an old gunpowder house where war memorabilia is on display, to the Toy and Miniature Museum, where you can take a trip back to the good old days and look at what amused children before computer games and mobile phones.The Village Museum is another must during your stay in Stellenbosch, with its four lovingly restored historic homes which you can view at your leisure, Shreuderhuis, Blettermanhuis, OM Berghs House and the beautiful Grosvenor House. A visit to any of these wonderful historical buildings is sure to be a memorable one, and is a must for anyone visiting Stellenbosch!

Jozi's best live music and entertainment venue, restaurant and bar is smack in the middle of Bryanston. Kick back to cool tunes and tuck into traditional Argentinean, Italian or homestyle fare. Besides their a la carte menu, they have a variety of set, buffet, and snack menu's. They are fairly flexible with regards to the content of the menu, giving you the freedom to create your own meal. There's so much happening at this vibey spot and the programme changes almost daily. Live performances are mostly from local musicians and stand up comedians. Tanz Café have over 12 years experience in booking all the top South African bands, DJs and stand up comics so you are assured of receiving top quality entertainment from South Africa’s best talent. The Buzz Shopping Centre, corner of Witkoppen and Nerine Roads, Fourways.

Friendship, good food, wine and brilliant entertainment – the Barnyard Theatre in Broadacres is where it all comes together. The first Barnyard Theatre started as a homely, rustic farm theatre in Plettenberg Bay where friends and family could be entertained and eat, drink and talk into the small hours of the morning. It proved to be such a winner that more Barnyard Theatres started popping up all over the country. There are currently 12 Barnyard Theatres in South Africa. While each theatre is a product of its individual setting, they all retain the quaint rustic charm of the original farm theatre’s humble beginning.

Friendship, good food, wine and brilliant entertainment – the Barnyard Theatre in Cresta is where it all comes together. The first Barnyard Theatre started as a homely, rustic farm theatre in Plettenberg Bay where friends and family could be entertained and eat, drink and talk into the small hours of the morning. It proved to be such a winner that more Barnyard Theatres started popping up all over the country. There are currently 12 Barnyard Theatres in South Africa. While each theatre is a product of its individual setting, they all retain the quaint rustic charm of the original farm theatre’s humble beginning.

Friendship, good food, wine and brilliant entertainment – the Barnyard Theatre in East Rand is where it all comes together. The first Barnyard Theatre started as a homely, rustic farm theatre in Plettenberg Bay where friends and family could be entertained and eat, drink and talk into the small hours of the morning. It proved to be such a winner that more Barnyard Theatres started popping up all over the country. There are currently 12 Barnyard Theatres in South Africa. While each theatre is a product of its individual setting, they all retain the quaint rustic charm of the original farm theatre’s humble beginning.

Friendship, good food, wine and brilliant entertainment – the Barnyard Theatre in Franschhoek is where it all comes together. The first Barnyard Theatre started as a homely, rustic farm theatre in Plettenberg Bay where friends and family could be entertained and eat, drink and talk into the small hours of the morning. It proved to be such a winner that more Barnyard Theatres started popping up all over the country. There are currently 12 Barnyard Theatres in South Africa. While each theatre is a product of its individual setting, they all retain the quaint rustic charm of the original farm theatre’s humble beginning. The Barnyard Theatre at Bridge House hosts professional productions, jazz, choirs and corporate functions. Bring your own picnic basket or order a la carte.

Friendship, good food, wine and brilliant entertainment – the Barnyard Theatre at Gateway is where it all comes together. The first Barnyard Theatre started as a homely, rustic farm theatre in Plettenberg Bay where friends and family could be entertained and eat, drink and talk into the small hours of the morning. It proved to be such a winner that more Barnyard Theatres started popping up all over the country. There are currently 12 Barnyard Theatres in South Africa. While each theatre is a product of its individual setting, they all retain the quaint rustic charm of the original farm theatre’s humble beginning.

Friendship, good food, wine and brilliant entertainment – the Barnyard Theatre in Menlyn is where it all comes together. The first Barnyard Theatre started as a homely, rustic farm theatre in Plettenberg Bay where friends and family could be entertained and eat, drink and talk into the small hours of the morning. It proved to be such a winner that more Barnyard Theatres started popping up all over the country. There are currently 12 Barnyard Theatres in South Africa. While each theatre is a product of its individual setting, they all retain the quaint rustic charm of the original farm theatre’s humble beginning.

Friendship, good food, wine and brilliant entertainment. Plett's Barnyard Theatre is where it all comes together. The Barnyard started as a homely, rustic farm theatre right in Plettenberg Bay where friends and family could be entertained and eat, drink and talk into the small hours of the morning. It proved to be such a winner that more Barnyard Theatres started popping up all over the country. There are currently twelve Barnyard Theatres in South Africa. While each theatre is a product of its individual setting, they all retain the quaint rustic charm of the original farm theatre’s humble beginning. Arrive well before curtain up, bring your own picnic basket supper and enjoy your meal around heavy wooden tables in the warm atmosphere of this unique barnyard theatre. Sip some wine, kick back and be entertained. Teas, coffees and scrumptious cakes are available. Booking Office: +27 (0) 44 533 5432 Cell: 082 973 1246 (enquiries)

Friendship, good food, wine and brilliant entertainment – the Barnyard Theatre in Vereeniging is where it all comes together. The first Barnyard Theatre started as a homely, rustic farm theatre in Plettenberg Bay where friends and family could be entertained and eat, drink and talk into the small hours of the morning. It proved to be such a winner that more Barnyard Theatres started popping up all over the country. There are currently 12 Barnyard Theatres in South Africa. While each theatre is a product of its individual setting, they all retain the quaint rustic charm of the original farm theatre’s humble beginning.

Friendship, good food, wine and brilliant entertainment – this is where it all comes together. The Mother City's first Barnyard Theatre is situated in Willowbridge Shopping Centre. This is a dinner theatre at its best, offering excellent live entertainment including rock shows, musicals, bands and revues. The Barnyard started as a homely, rustic farm theatre in Plettenberg Bay where friends and family could be entertained and eat, drink and talk into the small hours of the morning. It proved to be such a winner that more Barnyard Theatres started popping up all over the country. There are currently 12 Barnyard Theatres in South Africa. While each theatre is a product of its individual setting, they all retain the quaint rustic charm of the original farm theatre’s humble beginning. To book, visit the bookings office at the theatre or call central reservations (0) 21 914 8898. Shop F09 1st Floor, Willowbridge Life Style Centre, 39 Carl Cronje Drive, Tygervalley.

An exciting new theatre in Cape Town’s legendary District Six, The Fugard, is home to the internationally acclaimed Isango Portobello Theatre Company - an exciting example of what can transpire when local talent and vision meets committed international support.The Fugard is located in the historic Sacks Futeran building with the original decommissioned Congregational Church Hall in Caledon Street as its entrance. The theatre is named in honour of Athol Fugard, South Africa’s greatest playwright who will be present at the inauguration. The 270 seat theatre complex, including a rehearsal studio, foyer space, dressing rooms and office space, is a transformation of two warehouse spaces and the original Congregational Church Hall.

The Globe Theatre offers a variety of entertaining musical variety shows and comedy. The cosy and informal environment provides cocktail seating, a full-service bar and an appetizing menu of light food and drink.Boasting a colourful past, Jozi's original Globe Theatre opened in the early 1890s and was renamed the Empire Palace of Varieties. For a while it hosted the first moving picture shows in South Africa. Gandhi launched his campaign of ‘passive resistance’ here in 1907. The present day Globe Theatre is a replica of the original erected at Gold Reef City.

The Little Theatre Complex is home to the University of Cape Town's drama and fine arts departments. The facility is actually three theatres with the Little Theatre ironically being the largest, providing seating for 240 people. The Intimate and Arena offer space for about 70-80 folk. This trio offer a variety of delightful shows ranging from cutting-edge plays by critically acclaimed playwrights to work by emerging performers and students. A poster-plastered bar is popular for pre-show socialising. +27 (0) 21 480 7129 Hiddingh Campus, Orange Street, Cape Town

Jozi’s magnificent world-class theatre always ensures that vistors receive a warm welcome when walking through the door.With its posh furnishings and luxuriant atmosphere, this lavishly styled 1 100-seat theatre recalls the opulence of the world's great opera houses.The Lyric is regarded as one of Jozi's top entertainment venues, presenting superlative Broadway and West End productions, local and international musicians, ballet, comedy and numerous shows. Tickets for all shows are available at Computicket or The Lyric Theatre Box Office on +27 (0)11 248 5168  ⁄ 5229 ⁄ 5000.

Hosting numerous electrifying performance and events, the Theatre of Marcellus is a superb multipurpose state of the art theatre. Situated at Emperors Palace adjacent to the casino floor, it is a popular venue for product launches and exclusive banquets. The theatre can accommodate over 900 people in cinema style seating and comfortably accommodates 500 for a banquet. The theatre harks to its namesake in Ancient Rome and features extensive international and local dance extravaganzas, musicals and plays. The impressive list of performers to have graced the stage includes Nataniël, Johnny Clegg, Steve Hofmeyr, Kurt Darren, Barry Hilton and Casper de Vries. Television productions for ‘Jerry Springer’s Saturday Night’, ‘Noot vir Noot’ and ‘Dis Hoe Dit Is’ have been filmed here and international shows ‘Tap Dogs’, ‘Bounce’ and ‘Earth, Wind and Fire’ have featured on the bill.

Pieter Toerien's beautifully intimate Theatre on the Bay offers all the latest and best shows in town. Theatre goers can enjoy a good mix of local and international drama, musicals, comedy, cabaret, music and dance.The theatre is also home to the Act I Theatre Café, a fabulous restaurant that is open for dinner before and after the shows. Enjoy a pre-show drink at the Coffee Lounge or the theatre bar. Dietrich's Bar, in the main foyer, is also open after each performance, so you can round off your evening by joining the actors for a nightcap.Need to know? Individual, credit card bookings for Theatre on the Bay can be made by calling +27 (0) 21 438-3300, or visit the Computicket site at www.computicket.com Outlet/Box Office Hours: Monday: 9.30am - 5pm, Tuesday to Saturday: 9.30am - start of show

A shooting star in Observatory These Four Walls gallery has risen out of its humble beginnings as a series of affordable art exhibitions operating out of a small flat in Woodstock. Thanks to the overwhelming success of these exhibitions, the owners came to realise that there was indeed a gap in the Cape Town art market for a space that offers inexpensive, desirable and beautiful artworks in a semi-informal atmosphere.Our vision is to bring to the buying public a gallery that excels at exhibiting artwork that people want to live with and can afford to own.These Four Walls creates a space that is not completely defined. It is a space that can change and adapt with and to a variety of art and exhibitions in which the overwhelming sense is of honesty and integrity. Two elements which tend to be forgotten in the cut-throat world of art.It is a place to visit, be welcomed, and enjoyed, even if only for a fleeting five minutes.

This well-known attraction inside the Hans Merensky Nature Reserve is built exclusively of traditional materials. Tsonga Kraal Museum is an open-air reconstructed village showcasing the many traditional building styles of the Tsonga people who originated from southern Mozambique. Friendly and animated guides bring the village to life as they perform the traditions of the North Tsonga. Another Limpopo museum like it is Bakone Malapa Museum near Polokwane.

This all white minimalist space features innovative exhibitions showcasing some of South Africa's rising young talent as well as established artists. UCA Gallery regularly curates conceptual and visual artists in solo and group shows. Their dual focus is to promote Cape Town talent and bring in other vibrant artists from other parts of South Africa to the Mother City.Need to know? Gallery hours: Mon - Fri 9am - 5pm | Sat 9am - 1pm

Popular with discerning music and theatre lovers, Villa Pascal Theatre is a unique venue owned by well-known French chanteuse Danièle Pascal and Eugène Lebreton. This intimate theatre regularly hosts performances ranging from cabaret to classical to jazz by local and international artists. Conveniently situated in the heart of Durbanville, Villa Pascal Theatre is close to the Durbanville Wine Route and Durbanville Golf Club. Patrons can bring a picnic basket and enjoy an unusual theatre experience in the Cape’s only theatre in a house.

Much of South Africa’s architectural heritage goes far beyond broekie-lace and gables. The austere Voortrekker Monument in Pretoria pays homage to the gritty trekkers who deserted the Cape Colony in the mid 1800s. The entire 62-metre high structure is loaded with symbolism, from the assegai motif entrance, to the rippling patterns and friezes of the ‘Hall of Heroes’ and the 64 laager wagons surrounding the building. There’s even an opening in the dome roof that allows the sun’s rays to light up the cenotaph every year at 12 noon, 16 December. In essence, the monument functions as a giant sundial. Situated on top of Skanskop and within a nature reserve, the monument boasts lovely views of Pretoria. Shops, a restaurant, art gallery and various activities including horse rides are on offer.

Ceramicist Charmaine Haines and her husband studio potter Martin Haines have created themselves a wonderful studio after settling in Nieu-Bethesda. They often exhibit all over South Africa but guests are always welcome to pop in and see how they create their beautiful ceramics in the studio.

Sway your hips to great bands, live dance productions and storytelling or catch live action on the big screen. The V&A Waterfront Amphitheatre is one of Cape Town's hottest stages, hosting live music and other entertainment that's free to visitors. It's also a popular place for shopped out folk to grab some fresh air, rest weary feet and watch the bustling harbour activity.

Five million years ago the Cape’s West Coast was very different from what it is today. A wide range of animals (now extinct) lived in riverine forests, wooded savannah, and ocean as well as on offshore islands.Phosphate mining operations at Langebaanweg uncovered one of the richest fossil sites in the world. Over the past 40 years bones of 200 different kinds of animals, many of them new to science have been recovered. A few years after mining operations ceased in 1993, a 14 hectare fossil-rich area within the mine property was declared a National Heritage Site.The West Coast Fossil Park, a component of Iziko Museums, offers visitors an opportunity to have an on-site fossil experience. Learn about mysterious ancient environments, fascinating animal life and the climatic changes that occurred in this region 5 million years ago on a guided tour. The West Coast Fossil Park also has a kiddie’s play park, gift shop, picnic areas as well as a lovely coffee shop. Need to know? The main tour runs from 11:30 – 13:00 every day of the week and includes a slide presentation and visit to the dig site.Mini tours are available every hour from 9:00 –15:00 weekdays (except at 12:00); phone +27 (0)22 7661606 for mini-tour times over weekends and public holidays. The mini tour includes a visit to the dig site.