10 Heritage Day things to do in Joburg this year

Jozi does not do quiet celebrations and Heritage Day is no exception. From the streets of Soweto to the halls of Constitution Hill, this city wears its history loudly and proudly on 24 September. Here are 10 ways to spend the day exploring the stories, spaces and spirit that make Johannesburg what it is.

1. Free admission and self-guided tours at Constitution Hill

Constitution Hill offers free admission on Heritage Day, with the first 100 self-guided tour tickets also free.

• Location: Constitution Hill, Braamfontein
• Times: 9am to 4pm, Thursday 24 September

2. A heritage walk through Soweto

Start at the Hector Pieterson Memorial before walking to Vilakazi Street, the only street in the world to have housed two Nobel Peace Prize laureates.

• Location: Vilakazi Street and Hector Pieterson Memorial, Soweto

3. Confront the past at the Apartheid Museum

The Apartheid Museum takes visitors through 22 exhibition areas tracing the rise and fall of apartheid, from segregation to the first democratic elections in 1994.

• Location: Gold Reef City, Ormonde

4. Visit humanity’s origins at the Cradle of Humankind

The Cradle of Humankind is a UNESCO World Heritage Site an hour from the city, with the Maropeng Visitor Centre and Sterkfontein Caves open year-round.

• Location: Maropeng, Cradle of Humankind, Gauteng

5. Explore human history at the Origins Centre

Set at Wits University, the Origins Centre unpacks early human history and San rock art through interactive exhibits.

• Location: Wits University, Braamfontein

6. Walk the street art and culture of Maboneng

Maboneng’s murals, galleries and independent stores trace Johannesburg’s urban renewal story in the inner city.

• Location: Maboneng Precinct, Johannesburg CBD

7. Take in indigenous flora at Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden

The garden’s Witpoortjie Waterfall and indigenous plant collections make for a quieter heritage outing away from the city centre.

• Location: Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden, Roodepoort

8. Learn the city’s story at Museum Africa

Housed in Newtown’s old fruit market, Museum Africa covers Johannesburg’s social and political history through photography and archival exhibits.

• Location: Museum Africa, Newtown

9. See African art at the Wits Art Museum

WAM holds one of the country’s most significant African art collections, spanning historical and contemporary work.

• Location: Wits Art Museum, Braamfontein

10. Join a Johannesburg Heritage Foundation walking tour

The Johannesburg Heritage Foundation runs guided walks through inner-city suburbs like Sophiatown and Fordsburg, tracing layers of the city’s cultural history.

• Contact: 060 813 3239
• Website: joburgheritage.org.za