INSPIRE: Children can play in Joburg’s infamous jail
An interactive museum is reimagining Jozi’s Old Fort for curious young minds.
A new interactive children's museum has opened inside South Africa's notorious Old Fort in Johannesburg, transforming a place steeped in history into a space for playful learning and imagination. Futhi Mbongwe, the director of Play Africa, explains that the museum was created to provide a joyful and educational experience for curious young minds.
Located within the Old Fort, a former 19th-century jail, the museum showcases original prison cells and other historical elements, while offering a colorful and welcoming environment for children. The Old Fort's courtyard and ramparts serve as reminders of the site's troubled past, but Play Africa aims to bring light and laughter to the visitors.
The museum is specifically designed to restore hope and foster a sense of teamwork and mutual respect among the children who visit. Through its exhibitions and programmes, Play Africa seeks to stimulate imagination, experimentation, innovation, and problem-solving skills in young visitors, as well as their families and educators.
The museum reaches approximately 10,000 children annually through tours, field trips, and its mobile museum. Play Africa's latest initiative will transform a car-free stretch of the city's CBD into a playground for all ages, featuring its Imagination Playground, chalk art, maker workshops, face painting, and safe pathways for scooters and skateboards.
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