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World Cup 2010 Host City Durban: Interesting museums
Durban is more than just a coastal holiday destination...
10 May 2010 16:51:00
By Peter Pedroncelli
A country with so much history can do nothing but capture the past for the future generations to learn from. There are many museums throughout South Africa to keep the cultured visitor occupied, and Durban is no different, with a variety of museums scattered throughout the coastal host city.
During your stay in Durban, it may be an idea to visit some of the interesting museums available, and may be a welcome distraction from the football frenzy that will no doubt sweep through the city come June and July.
Maritime Museum
The Port Natal Maritime Museum is a wonderful monument to the city's seafaring tradition. It serves as a reminder that Durban is and has been for quite some time, the busiest port in Africa. The museum offers an exhibition hall, a number of small seacraft, and three ships for children and adults to discover first hand, allowing one to be a crew member for a short time, even if only through one’s imagination.
The 75-year-old Ulundi, with its coal-fired engine, is the oldest of the ships on display. The Britannia Exhibition Hall provides those who visit with exquisite exhibits that touch on a number of nautical maritime elements, from weather prediction equipment to navigation by the stars, and communication equipment linking ships at sea to land.
Natural Science Museum
Highly suitable for families is the Natural Science Museum, which is located within Durban City Hall and home to a life-size model of the ultimate predator dinosaur, the Tyrannosaurus Rex. On display are plenty of natural history artefacts, including insect and butterfly collections, as well as exhibits of South Africa's local plant and bird life. If you find nature fascinating and would like to be further intrigued by South Africa’s variety of wildlife, insects and plants, as well as the prehistoric kind, pay a visit to this museum.
The Playhouse
The Playhouse Company is Ethekwini’s premier theatre organisation, based at the Playhouse theatre complex in Smith Street in the heart of the coastal city of Durban. The Playhouse Company delivers live theatre productions in the fields of music, drama and dance, representative of the diverse cultural groups that comprise the population of KwaZulu-Natal, both in terms of audiences and artists based in the province.
The Playhouse is certainly worth a visit while you are in the city during the World Cup, where a number of live performances are sure to provide something that will interest and entertain you.
Durban Local History Museum
Durban residents are proud of the history of their city, and you can find out why by visiting the Local History Museum free of charge. The museum is housed within the former Court House, a 19th-century building located just behind the City Hall. This is a great place to visit if you would like to find out more about the history of the city and the surrounding area of South Africa, from Zulu history to the town's colonial past, leading up to its current status as a fundamental African and South African port.
The BAT Centre
The BAT Centre is Durban's vibrant multi-purpose arts centre, merging visual and performing arts under one roof. The bright mosaic and mural-covered building provides visitors with galleries, artists-in-residence, plus performances of folk music, poetry and spoken word. BAT stands for the Bartel Arts Trust, and the centre is also a community art centre, which provides a platform for skills training, promotion and exposure of disadvantaged and emergent artists.
This is therefore the place to go to find hidden and unknown talent from Durban artists and performers. The focus of the centre is local arts, culture, crafts and entertainment which give a true reflection of the Zulu, Indian and Western heritage of KwaZulu-Natal.
Old Fort
This model fort is actually a reconstruction of original mud defences built by Irish soldiers as they besieged Durban in 1842 during their battle with the Boers. The defences were successful, holding off their attackers for over a month and, famously, allowing Dick King and his soldiers to bring relief. (In 1842 Dick King rode 600 miles in 10 days to get reinforcements in the Cape after the Voortrekkers besieged Durban, and as a result there is a statue of King situated at Victoria Embankment.)
With the grounds well preserved, they have been transformed into a garden, and the original ammunitions magazine has been transformed into a chapel. This museum or monument to historical events allows one to be transported back in time to visually experience the history of a country and specifically of Durban at a time of conflict between the settlers.
Durban Art Museum
The Durban Art Museum is housed within the City Hall, and provides visitors with an array of artworks from Europe, the East and Africa, dating from the 15th century to the present. The Gallery has a comprehensive collection of artworks, and constantly rotates displays from its permanent collection, interspersing them with travelling exhibitions of contemporary and historic pictures and artefacts.
The Museum will also be home to a line of work done with regards to the Moses Mabhida World Cup Stadium in the city. Artworks were selected on their ability to represent the stadium’s purpose and to reflect and embody the energy, power and excitement relating to sporting activities. The result is 40 artworks in the stadium in a near year-long process which commenced whilst construction was still in progress. The artworks have been the joint work of over 300 artists, and will be placed under the long-term curatorship of the Durban Art Gallery.
No trip to South Africa is complete without a visit to its most beautiful and sunniest city. Durban offers much more than sandy beaches, safaris, casinos and the World Cup, for information on what to do and see, please click here
Become a fan of Goal.com UK's Facebook fan page for all the latest news and insight into everything related to the beautiful game!
During your stay in Durban, it may be an idea to visit some of the interesting museums available, and may be a welcome distraction from the football frenzy that will no doubt sweep through the city come June and July.
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Maritime Museum
The Port Natal Maritime Museum is a wonderful monument to the city's seafaring tradition. It serves as a reminder that Durban is and has been for quite some time, the busiest port in Africa. The museum offers an exhibition hall, a number of small seacraft, and three ships for children and adults to discover first hand, allowing one to be a crew member for a short time, even if only through one’s imagination.
The Port Natal Maritime Museum
The 75-year-old Ulundi, with its coal-fired engine, is the oldest of the ships on display. The Britannia Exhibition Hall provides those who visit with exquisite exhibits that touch on a number of nautical maritime elements, from weather prediction equipment to navigation by the stars, and communication equipment linking ships at sea to land.
Natural Science Museum
Highly suitable for families is the Natural Science Museum, which is located within Durban City Hall and home to a life-size model of the ultimate predator dinosaur, the Tyrannosaurus Rex. On display are plenty of natural history artefacts, including insect and butterfly collections, as well as exhibits of South Africa's local plant and bird life. If you find nature fascinating and would like to be further intrigued by South Africa’s variety of wildlife, insects and plants, as well as the prehistoric kind, pay a visit to this museum.
Durban City Hall
The Playhouse
The Playhouse Company is Ethekwini’s premier theatre organisation, based at the Playhouse theatre complex in Smith Street in the heart of the coastal city of Durban. The Playhouse Company delivers live theatre productions in the fields of music, drama and dance, representative of the diverse cultural groups that comprise the population of KwaZulu-Natal, both in terms of audiences and artists based in the province.
Playhouse | There is plenty of entertainment
The Playhouse is certainly worth a visit while you are in the city during the World Cup, where a number of live performances are sure to provide something that will interest and entertain you.
Durban Local History Museum
Durban residents are proud of the history of their city, and you can find out why by visiting the Local History Museum free of charge. The museum is housed within the former Court House, a 19th-century building located just behind the City Hall. This is a great place to visit if you would like to find out more about the history of the city and the surrounding area of South Africa, from Zulu history to the town's colonial past, leading up to its current status as a fundamental African and South African port.
The BAT Centre
The BAT Centre is Durban's vibrant multi-purpose arts centre, merging visual and performing arts under one roof. The bright mosaic and mural-covered building provides visitors with galleries, artists-in-residence, plus performances of folk music, poetry and spoken word. BAT stands for the Bartel Arts Trust, and the centre is also a community art centre, which provides a platform for skills training, promotion and exposure of disadvantaged and emergent artists.
The BAT Centre
This is therefore the place to go to find hidden and unknown talent from Durban artists and performers. The focus of the centre is local arts, culture, crafts and entertainment which give a true reflection of the Zulu, Indian and Western heritage of KwaZulu-Natal.
Old Fort
This model fort is actually a reconstruction of original mud defences built by Irish soldiers as they besieged Durban in 1842 during their battle with the Boers. The defences were successful, holding off their attackers for over a month and, famously, allowing Dick King and his soldiers to bring relief. (In 1842 Dick King rode 600 miles in 10 days to get reinforcements in the Cape after the Voortrekkers besieged Durban, and as a result there is a statue of King situated at Victoria Embankment.)
With the grounds well preserved, they have been transformed into a garden, and the original ammunitions magazine has been transformed into a chapel. This museum or monument to historical events allows one to be transported back in time to visually experience the history of a country and specifically of Durban at a time of conflict between the settlers.
Durban Art Museum
The Durban Art Museum is housed within the City Hall, and provides visitors with an array of artworks from Europe, the East and Africa, dating from the 15th century to the present. The Gallery has a comprehensive collection of artworks, and constantly rotates displays from its permanent collection, interspersing them with travelling exhibitions of contemporary and historic pictures and artefacts.
Durban Art Museum | Pieces from all over the world
The Museum will also be home to a line of work done with regards to the Moses Mabhida World Cup Stadium in the city. Artworks were selected on their ability to represent the stadium’s purpose and to reflect and embody the energy, power and excitement relating to sporting activities. The result is 40 artworks in the stadium in a near year-long process which commenced whilst construction was still in progress. The artworks have been the joint work of over 300 artists, and will be placed under the long-term curatorship of the Durban Art Gallery.
No trip to South Africa is complete without a visit to its most beautiful and sunniest city. Durban offers much more than sandy beaches, safaris, casinos and the World Cup, for information on what to do and see, please click here
Become a fan of Goal.com UK's Facebook fan page for all the latest news and insight into everything related to the beautiful game!
| Sign up with 188BET for a FREE bet up to £25 – Great Prices, Every Game |
|
| Open an account with Sportingbet today and get up to £50 in free bets! |
|
| Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25 |
|
| Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200 |
|
| Sign up with Paddy Power - Bet £10, Get £20! |
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