Wits University’s Origins Centre Museum allows visitors to journey through the southern African region’s rich and incredibly complex history and heritage. The centre boasts an extensive collection of rock art, fossils, artefacts and ancient stone tools, as well as hosts workshops, activities, and exhibition walkabouts that bring visitors closer to our heritage. Read on to find out more.
The history behind the Origins Centre Museum
Opened by former President Thabo Mbeki in 2006, the Origins Centre is dedicated to exploring and celebrating the history of modern humankind.
It contains evidence of ancient stone tools, artefacts of symbolic and spiritual significance, and examples of the region’s visually striking rock art. It also captures the impact of the colonial front and highlights examples of resistence.
At the Origins Centre, Africa’s incredible heritage is told through a selection of eye-opening exhibitions, some of which are permanent and some of which can be seen for a limited time only.
Temporary exhibitions currently running at the Origins Centre:
Atlas of Uncertainty
Featuring 30 artists from Accra, Johannesburg, and Nairobi, this travelling exhibition changes how we see African cities. Atlas of Uncertainty is an interdisciplinary collaboration remapping migration and urban spaces across the continent and showing what that means for the world’s future cities.
Atlas of Uncertainty is a project of the Oxford/Wits Mobility Governance Lab and the African Centre for Migration and Society. Featured artists include Adlan Yousif, Alice Raymond, Amy-Leigh Braaf, Anastasia Pather, Angelina Kusi Hori, ASK, Austine Adika, Billie McTernan, Boitumelo Motau, Bongiwe Phakathi, Candice Kramer, Caroline Wanjiku Kihato, Clare Loveday, Clifford Assiama Bright-Abu, Daniel Muchina, Dela Anyah, DEVOLUTIONERY, Dorcas Omwenga, Jamey Ponte, Kibera Arts District, Lebo Thoka, Manjahi Njoroge, Mareli Stolp and Nana Danso Awuah-Asante.
More artists include Neo Muyanga, Onyis Martin, Peterson Kamwathi, Savior Omondi, Sean Kweifio-Okai, Sebawali Mwakai Sio, Sedinam Awo Tsegah, The Herd, Tracy Akinyi, Wallace Juma, Wezile Harmans Atlas Scholars + Writers Adeline Chum, Afra Foli, Barbara Bompani, Brett Pyper, Brian Murahwa, Carina Kanbi, Caroline Wanjiku Kihato, Danchen Xu, Dare Brawley, Elizabeth Iams Wellman, Heather Mason, Helidah Ogude-Chambert, Huda Tayob, Jeffrey Paller, Kabiri Bule, Kuukuwa Manful, Laura Kurgan, Loren B Landau, Margarida Waco, Mwangi Mwaura, Isaac Mburu, Neo Muyanga, Nicole Stremlau, Olasumbo Olaniyi, Ragi Bashonga, Shongile Myeza, Stacy Hardy, Tau Tavengwa, Thorsten Deckler, Tracy Haggai and Wangui Kimari.
Cost: R70 per adult, R40 per student. Book via Webtickets
When: Running from 18 April to 3 July 2026.
Where: Origins Centre, Wits University Braamfontein Campus East, Yale Road & 1 Enoch Sontonga Ave, Braamfontein, Johannesburg
Permanent Exhibitions running at the Origins Centre:
The interactive exhibits at Origins Centre take visitors on an extraordinary journey of discovery, which begins with the origins of humankind in Africa and then moves through the development of technology, art, culture, and symbolism.
The journey continues with an exploration of the diverse Southern African rock art traditions. These ancient masterworks, and the artists, are illustrated through contemporary art installations by well-known South African artists. Visitors follow a path of hominin innovation that began over 2 million years ago.
Indigenous Gardens
This exhibition explores edible and medicinal plants from different biomes that were used in the past and currently by ritual specialists throughout southern Africa.
African Origins
Explore early African stone tools from 2.6 million years ago, the origins of humanity in Africa and what makes us human, the sands of time across the world, and replica hominin skulls showing our human evolution over the last 7 million years.
The San and Rock Art
Discover more about the San and their hunter-gatherer past, the San genocide and Sara Baartman, the eland in San belief, San painting technologies, the trance dance and how San ritual specialists enter the spirit world, rain making and neuropsychology, and interpret a rock art panel.
Rock Engraving Archive
Explore varied engraved rock art traditions and styles in southern Africa. These traditions can also be explored through augmented reality by downloading the OriginsCentreAR app on Android or IOS)
Conservation
Learn about conservation problems facing rock art sites today and site etiquette.
Tapestry Room
Discover how to understand and interpret San Art, learn the history of the San told through 11 embroidered panels, and find out about the ‘White Lady of the Brandberg’ rock painting.
Khoe Art
Learn about the geometric art found in southern Africa and who the Khoekhoen are.
Early (Iron Age) Farmers
Take a journey through history and learn about the rise of complex societies, including information on Mapungubwe and Great Zimbabwe, and discover the protest art of the Makgabeng
Artist installations
The museum also houses installations by contemporary artists, which currently include:
- One Being by Deborah Glencross
- World Map by Walter Oltman
- Axis Mundi by Russel Scott
- Synanthrope by Hannelie Coetzee
- Signs of people by Willem Boshoff
- Threads of knowing by Tamar Mason
- Double Vision by Pippa Scotness and Malcolm Payne
- Glass Beads by Martli Jansen van Rensburg
Visit the Origins Centre
Cost: R90 per adult, R45 per student and child u/12, R75 per pensioner/Wits staff member, R550 exclusive guide fee. Temporary exhibitions are free with a main museum ticket. Book via Webtickets
When: Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. Saturday and Public Holidays from 9am to 4pm
Where: Origins Centre, Wits University Braamfontein Campus East, Yale Road & 1 Enoch Sontonga Ave, Braamfontein, Johannesburg
Website: wits.ac.za/origins
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 011 717 4700
Facebook: @originscentre
Instagram: @originscentre_wits
Journey through more African heritage at the Sterkfontein Caves
