THIS LINEAR NARRATIVE MUSEUM, SEMI-BURIED IN THE LANDSCAPE, TRACES THE ORIGIN, DEVELOPMENT, IMPLEMENTATION AND FINAL TRIUMPHANT CONQUERING OF SOUTH AFRICA’S NOTORIOUS APARTHEID SYSTEM. THE MUSEUM’S BRUTAL SUBJECT MATTER, EXPERIENCED RELENTLESSLY ALONG A NARRATIVE ROUTE EMBELLISHED WITH SHOCKING VIDEO FOOTAGE, AUDIO INTERVIEWS, HUGE IMAGES AND POWERFUL, FORCES THE VISITOR TO CONFRONT THE SHOCKING TRUTH ABOUT THE EXTREME HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS THAT TOOK PLACE DURING THIS PERIOD IN SOUTH AFRICA’S HISTORY.
THE EXHIBIT MATERIAL WAS DESIGNED IN COLLABORATION WITH EDUCATION CURRICULUM, TO BE LEGIBLE AND UNDERSTANDABLE TO ALL VISITORS, IN ORDER TO PROVIDE AN EXPERIENTIAL LESSON IN SOUTH AFRICA’S HISTORY THAT IS OF POWERFUL INTERNATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE.
IN ADDITION TO THE MAIN NARRATIVE, THE MUSEUM CONTAINS AN AUDITORIUM, TEMPORARY EXHIBIT SPACE AND ARCHIVE FACILITIES.
THE SINGLE STORY BUNKER-LIKE, CONCRETE ROOFED BUILDING FORMS AN IMPENETRABLE EDGE TO THE STREET, CONCEALING THE INDIGENOUS LANDSCAPED BERM, PLANTED ROOFS AND NARRATIVE MUSEUM SPACES, WHICH BECOME LIGHTER AS THE NARRATIVE MOVES TOWARDS THE REALM OF THE NEW SOUTH AFRICA.
OFF SHUTTER CONCRETE SOFFITS, FLOORS AND COLUMNS ARE USED INTERNALLY TO SET UP A BASIC VISUAL LANGUAGE FOR THE MUSEUM. EXTERNALLY THE USE OF NATURAL PLASTER, STONE AND GABION BASKETS WITH RUSTING FRAMES COMPLETES THIS PARED DOWN QUALITY.
THE APPEARANCE IS SUGGESTIVE AND DEEPLY EMOTIONAL OF THE LOCAL COLOUR AND TEXTURE OF THE MINE DUMPS AND THE RESILIENT HEADGEAR STRUCTURES WHICH STAND TODAY UNUSED AND FIRMLY ICONIC.
RATED AS THE #2 MUSEUM TO SEE IN GAUTENG BY TRIPADVISOR
AWARDED THE 2018 TRAVELLERS CHOICE AWARD
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