Transvaal Museum

Read review entitled: The Transvaal Museum: Great for rainy days

The Transvaal Museum

The Transvaal Museum is South Africa's leading natural history museum. It provides a memorable experience for the whole family and is open 7 days a week.

Transvaal Museum Mammal Hall in Tshwane
The Transvaal Museum was founded in 1892. The museum changed locations a number of times as its collection grew. By 1925 the museum moved to its current location, a beautiful sandstone building on Paul Kruger Street. The entrance of this imposing building is decorated with the skeletons of dinosaurs and even a whale.
Some of the collection of the museum, which remained behind in its former location in Boom Street, became known as the National Cultural History Museum in 1964.

The museum currently houses a vast taxidermy collection as well as a number of fossils.
There are four exhibition halls:
* Genesis of Life I and II provides a journey through the development of the animal kingdom, from single-celled organisms, right through the human beings. The Genesis of Life II hall is also known as the Mammal Hall.

* The Austin Roberts Bird Hall holds a collection of Southern African birds, arranged according to their number in the Roberts Bird Guide. General information on migration, feeding and flight of birds can also be seen in this very well arranged hall.

* The Geoscience Museum is a comprehensive collection of different minerals, crystals, and gemstones in Southern Africa, provided by the Council for Geoscience. Where such minerals can be found, as well as what they are used for is thoroughly described in this hall.

There is also a Discovery Centre on the property which provides a hands-on experience to make learning about nature and science more enjoyable.
Night Tours, Science Magic shows and a "behind the scenes" tour of the Research Department are provided.