Wits Art Museum — Attraction in Johannesburg Ward 60

A cultural sanctuary in the heart of Braamfontein.

The Wits Art Museum is one of those rare spaces in Joburg that feels like a shelter for the soul and a playground for the mind. You’ll often find me there on weekdays, soaking in the energy, attending different events, and discovering something new with every visit.

WAM is more than just an art museum—it’s a living, breathing hub of creativity, culture, and conversation. The exhibitions are always thought-provoking, with a strong focus on African art, identity, and history. From bold contemporary works to ancient artifacts, it’s a place that honours both the past and the future.

What I really love is how it brings people together—students, artists, academics, and everyday wanderers all cross paths here. The talks, workshops, film screenings, and live performances turn weekday afternoons into mini adventures. There's always something happening, and it never feels stale or repetitive.

The space itself is beautiful—light, modern, and designed to let the art speak. And the location in Braamfontein makes it so accessible if you’re already part of the city’s creative pulse.

If you’re looking for inspiration, connection, or just a quiet place to reflect, WAM is it. A true Joburg gem where art...

A major part of the Wits Art Museum (WAM) is to make it’s important collections of African art available to the public. Within its walls, the pace of life slows down while hundreds of thousands pedestrians, cars, taxis and buses pass hurriedly outside its glass walls. It’s a pleasing contrast to experience. It’s on corner Jorissen and Bertha Streets in Braamfontein.

The bright costumes at the entrance attracted me immediately. I stood at the window looking in longingly. A security guard asked me if I wanted to go inside. The doors were closed. I eagerly replied “Yes please”.

The current exhibition is titled “Seen, Heard and Valued” and it celebrates 40 years of the Standard Bank African Art collection. It is beautiful. The museum also publishes books about their major exhibitions and the collection of books about past exhibitions is on sale. There was a group of young primary school kids (they looked around 7) whose voices and curiosity made the atmosphere so joyful and light.

The staff were really welcoming, conversational and well informed.

This was an unexpected well spent morning meandering through the museum at 10:30 am on a random Tuesday. Grateful.

All COVID...

The Wits Art Museum in Johannesburg is a shining diamond in the stinking garbage of Johannesburg's CBD. Even the journey there is an experience for masochists. You have to navigate around massive potholes, endure the apocalyptic facades of a once-prosperous city, and a police force that would rather form selfie formations in front of parking spaces than let you park. So, around the corner and into the gauntlet of ominous "parking attendants." They, by the way, are offended if you so much as hand over 20 Rand. But inside, you'll find Paul Weinberg's miracle. "Between the Cracks" is a brilliantly photographed journey through five decades of South Africa. All in black and white, thus visually intensely poetic and harrowingly real. A moment of greatness in a place of neglect. You'll want more of it, but please find it elsewhere. 4 out of 5 stars because even art lovers aren't in the mood for a Mad Max-like journey to and from...