Iziko, an isiXhosa word meaning âhearthâ, embodies the spirit of a transformed institution and our version of âAfrican Museums of Excellenceâ. The hearth is traditionally and symbolically the social centre of the home; a place associated with warmth, kinship and the spirit of the ancestors. As such, Iziko was envisioned as a space for all South Africans to gather, nourish body and soul, and share stories and the knowledge passed from one generation to the next. Here, Iziko Museums seeks to emulate the âhearthâ by creating receptive spaces for cultural interaction and dialogue â and we are proud to ignite connections between our shared history, our heritage and each other.
Iziko seeks to celebrate our heritage while generating new cultural legacies for future generations, and a society that has moved beyond the shackles of the past.
The three âflamesâ in our âhearthâ logo represent the three collections brought together in our 11 museums: Social History (ochre); Art (red); and Natural History (green). Our collections are made accessible to learners and the public through education programmes, public programmes and exhibitions. While we have many permanent exhibitions, we regularly create and host temporary exhibitions so that the public can enjoy the more than one million items in our collections. We also arrange travelling exhibitions to other cities, and play host to travelling exhibitions from other local and international museums.