{"id":12414,"date":"2026-04-01T12:01:49","date_gmt":"2026-04-01T10:01:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ditsong.org.za\/en\/?page_id=12414"},"modified":"2026-04-01T12:01:49","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T10:01:49","slug":"ditsong-national-museum-of-natural-history","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/ditsong.org.za\/en\/our-museums\/ditsong-national-museum-of-natural-history\/","title":{"rendered":"Ditsong: National Museum of Natural History"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n \n The DITSONG:<\/span>\n <\/span>\n \t\t\t\t\t

\n <\/span>National Museum of Military History<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>[vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_raw_html css=””]JTNDaW1nJTIwc3JjJTNEJTIyaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZkaXRzb25nLm9yZy56YSUyRmVuJTJGd3AtY29udGVudCUyRnVwbG9hZHMlMkYyMDE5JTJGMDklMkZOYXR1cmFsLUhpc3RvcnktMS1zY2FsZWQuanBnJTIyJTIwc3R5bGUlM0QlMjJ3aWR0aCUzQSUyMDEwMCUyNSUzQiUyMGhlaWdodCUzQSUyMGF1dG8lMjIlMkYlM0U=[\/vc_raw_html][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/3″][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

Opening Hours<\/h3>\n

Admission daily: 07:30 – 16:00 (Except Christmas Day & Good Friday) <\/p>\n

Reach Us<\/h3>\n

432 Paul Kruger Street, Pretoria, 0001<\/p>\n

Tel:<\/strong> 012 492 1358<\/p>\n

Email:<\/strong> info@ditsong.org.za<\/p>\n

Facilities bookings: <\/strong>moyo@ditsong.org.za<\/a><\/p>\n

Admission bookings: <\/strong>terence@ditsong.org.za<\/a><\/p>\n

phineas@ditsong.org.za<\/a>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][vc_separator color=”black” css=””][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_text_separator title=”About the Museum” css=”” el_class=”heading-4″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

The DITSONG: National Museum of Natural History formerly known as the Transvaal Museum was founded as the Staatsmuseum of the ZAR on the 1st of December 1892.<\/p>\n

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It has, since then, been acting as the custodian and documentation centre of South Africa\u2019s natural heritage. The Museum\u2019s collections and exhibits include hominid fossils from the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site and associated fauna, including Mrs Ples [the nickname attributed to a fossil skull believed to represent a distant relative of all humankind]; fossils, skeletons, skins, and mounted specimens of amphibians, fish, invertebrates, reptiles and mammals. These collections make up the Museum\u2019s educational programmes.<\/p>\n

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The DITSONG: National Museum of Natural History is the only natural history museum in Gauteng and one of the largest in South Africa. It is unique in that it is the only institute in South Africa that offers the local, national and international community the opportunity to view its collections, including original fossil material usually denied by the public. These collections make up the Museum\u2019s educational programmes. Research is done, and the information is communicated to all people of South Africa and the international community. <\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_tta_accordion][vc_tta_section title=”Educational Programmes” tab_id=”1774993360023-6184eb2e-abf5″][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

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Schools, students and tourists are offered a comprehensive series of programmes and conducted tours in various South African languages, and all education programmes follow CAPS (Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement). Booking is essential to participate in these activities. For bookings, send an email to: bongi@ditsong.org.za.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Discovery Centre” tab_id=”1774993151976-faf991f8-1af0″][vc_column_text css=””]A hands-on activity centre where the five human senses are used to discover the wonders of nature, offering an invaluable educational adventure. It affords easy access for wheelchairs and displays texts transcribed in Braille. This centre is ideal for younger learners eager to explore with their hands.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Public Programmes” tab_id=”1774993151984-647c5a63-8398″][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

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Throughout the year, talks are held at the Museum by various established researchers and scientists. Please regularly check the \u201cUpcoming Events\u201d page or contact the Public Programmes Department.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The DITSONG: National Museum of Natural History\u2019s researchers and scientists from other institutions doing research can submit scientific papers to the annals. The major publications are the Annals of the Ditsong National Museum of Natural History and the Monograph series. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The Museum has exchange agreements with many scientific institutions, both abroad and in South Africa and 342 copies of the Annals of the DITSONG: National Museum of Natural History and 280 copies of the Monographs of the Ditsong: National Museum of Natural History are distributed annually. Up to 2010, the annals were known as the Annals of the Transvaal Museum.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\n \n Prices for Adults, Children and Pensioners<\/span>\n <\/span>\n \t\t\t\t\t

\n <\/span>Admission Fees<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column el_class=”button-holder”][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

Please download our Price list for this museum below:<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text]\n Download Pricelist<\/span>\n <\/a>[vc_empty_space height=”64px”]

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\n <\/span>Visit our Museum<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][vc_gmaps link=”#E-8_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” css=””][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_raw_html css=””]JTNDaW1nJTIwc3JjJTNEJTIyaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZkaXRzb25nLm9yZy56YSUyRmVuJTJGd3AtY29udGVudCUyRnVwbG9hZHMlMkYyMDE5JTJGMDklMkZOYXR1cmFsLUhpc3RvcnktMS1zY2FsZWQuanBnJTIyJTIwc3R5bGUlM0QlMjJ3aWR0aCUzQSUyMDEwMCUyNSUzQiUyMGhlaWdodCUzQSUyMGF1dG8lMjIlMkYlM0U=[\/vc_raw_html][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/3″][vc_column_text css=””] Opening Hours Admission daily: 07:30 – 16:00 (Except Christmas Day & Good Friday)  Reach Us 432 Paul Kruger Street, Pretoria, 0001 Tel: 012 492 1358 Email: info@ditsong.org.za Facilities bookings: moyo@ditsong.org.za Admission bookings: terence@ditsong.org.za phineas@ditsong.org.za[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][vc_separator color=”black” css=””][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_text_separator title=”About […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":0,"parent":2759,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-12414","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-09-24 23:46:01","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ditsong.org.za\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/12414","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ditsong.org.za\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ditsong.org.za\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ditsong.org.za\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/29"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ditsong.org.za\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12414"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/ditsong.org.za\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/12414\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12416,"href":"https:\/\/ditsong.org.za\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/12414\/revisions\/12416"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ditsong.org.za\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2759"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ditsong.org.za\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12414"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}