SA SCIENCE LENS
CURRENT

The SA Science Lens is a unique competition in South Africa that encourages amateur and professional photographers to enter images that give insight into the world of science and technology and the working of nature. The ‘SA Science Lens’ exhibition displays the winning images from this year’s competition. The competition categories were Science in action, Science close-up, Science as art, On my plate (about the food we eat), and I see science and technology (submissions entered by learners). 

Dr Simon van Noort, Curator of Entomology at Iziko, won this year’s ‘Science close-up’ category and was the overall winner of this year’s competition.

The SA Science Lens competition is organized by the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA), a business unit of the National Research Foundation (NRF).
 

AFRICAN DINOSAUR EXHIBITION: PHASE 1
CURRENT

The African Dinosaur Exhibition is still in development, but elements of it are now on display. The main feature is the massive skeleton of the sauropod dinosaur Jobaria, which was cast from a fossil discovered in northern Niger by Dr Paul Sereno of the University of Chicago. Also on show is the huge head of Carcharodontosaurus, a close relative of Tyrannosaurus, and the skull of the extinct crocodile Sarcosuchus.

The final phase of the African Dinosaur exhibition will open in December 2008 and will include a complete overview of the evolution, diversity and biology of African dinosaurs.
 

BEADS: RITUAL AND ORNAMENTATION
9 AUGUST 2007 to 31 JULY 2008
TH Barry Lecture Theatre Foyer

The small but rather beautiful ‘Beads: Ritual and Ornamentation’ exhibition features prehistoric and ethnographic beads from southern Africa. Objects on display include Nassarius kraussianus shell beads, dating to 77 000 years ago. These are among the earliest beads discovered anywhere in the world. Prehistoric beads used as grave goods are also shown. More recent beads include colourful neck ornaments, 20th century tortoise-shell cosmetic containers decorated with beads, an isidlokolo (otter-skin cap), iqhina (necklet) and an umtseke (arm ornament) worn by Xhosa diviners.

Two posters, one of men adorned with beads in ritual dancing postures, as shown in a drawing by Elisabeth Mannsfeld of a rock painting in Ngolosa, Eastern Cape (Frobenius Collection), and one of diviners at a ceremony in East London, Eastern Cape (1968), contextualize the exhibition.

Enquiries: Sarah Wurz, Tel. 021 481 3888.

/QE – THE POWER OF ROCK ART
CURRENT

The /Qe Power of Rock Art exhibition honours and celebrates the spiritual energy of the rock art of early South African ancestors. Original rock paintings from the Eastern and Western Cape, engravings, painting materials and authentic objects are exhibited. This exhibition has recently been upgraded with funding received from De Beers. The three rock engravings cases were fitted with new LED lights and details of the original localities and significance of the works was added. A new multi-media unit presenting drawings and notebooks from the Lloyd Bleek Collection, and cave paintings from the Cederberg, was installed. This provides more information on the exhibited art in a dynamic and interactive way.

EXHIBITIONS DURING REPAIR AND RENOVATION
CURRENT

There will be disruptions to the Iziko SA Museum in the following 12 months because the Department of Public Works is undertaking the repair and renovation of the building (the ‘R & R Project’). The contractors will initially work on the outside, repairing the roof, painting and repairing damaged ironwork and will then move inside to fix lighting, replace carpets, paint walls, and so on.

We do not anticipate total closure of the Museum as a result of the R & R Project, but certain exhibition areas will be closed to the public at times.

Popular exhibitions that can still be seen, include:

Shark World: See the amazing diversity of sharks and learn about their biology and conservation.

Coelacanth: This display provides a full account of the history, biology and conservation of coelacanths and includes a video of live coelacanths off Sodwana Bay, KwaZulu-Natal.

Fossil Stories: Stone Bones of the Ancient Karoo: Amazing 250-million-year-old mammal-like reptile fossils that reveal the evolutionary origins of mammals.