MuseuMAfricA

Sign at the entrance to the MuseuMAfrica

MuseuMAfricA (formerly known as the Africana Museum) is an historical museum in Johannesburg, South Africa.

History

The museum was established in 1933, when the Johannesburg Public Library bought a large quantity of African material culture and books from John Gaspard Gubbins. From the mid-1930s, the museum's scope widened to include all aspects of African cultural history and material culture.

In 1994, after the fall of apartheid and the institution of democratic government in South Africa, the museum was refurbished and renamed MuseuMAfricA.

Location

The museum is housed in the city's former fruit and vegetable market in Newtown, built in 1913, located opposite the Market Theatre.

Collections

The museum has collections of African material culture from across the continent, including noted collections of tokens, musical instruments and head-rests.

References

• City of Johannesburg website information