About
The Origins Centre is a museum on the campus of the University of the Witwatersrand in Braamfontein, Johannesburg. Its address is Yale Road, and it is reached on foot or by car from the wider city centre. It is a place for visitors interested in where humankind began and how early people expressed themselves.
What you will find
The museum concentrates on two themes: the origins of humankind and rock art. Its collections include a considerable number of ancient artefacts and fossils, which together give a sense of the long story of human life in southern Africa and beyond. The rock art displays show the images early people made on stone, and the exhibits are arranged to help visitors read them.
A visit suits:
- Visitors curious about human evolution and prehistory
- Those who want to see ancient objects and fossils up close
- Anyone interested in the rock art traditions of the region
- Families and students looking for a focused, educational outing
Around the museum
Because the Origins Centre sits within a university campus in Braamfontein, it makes a natural stop alongside other parts of the area. The surrounding neighbourhood offers cafés, eating places and the lively streets of a university district, so a morning at the museum can easily be paired with a meal or a walk afterwards.
To check the current arrangements before you go, you can call the museum on +27 11 717 4700. The contact line is the best way to confirm what is on display and how to plan your time there.
