Anton Schalk van Wyk is an Assistant Educator at Iziko Museums of South Africa. He works in the Discovery Room and takes learners on educational tours through the South African Museum. Mr Van Wyk says he enjoys interacting with tourists, teachers and learners. His values include being honest, reliable, flexible and friendly at all times, as Assistant Educators must adjust to the needs of the group they are leading. Mr Van Wyk has worked in the Discovery Room for 25 years, and has seen it develop into a wonderful, school-friendly place. The room is there to assist teachers with the school curricula of all grades, and worksheets for children are also available related to different displays in the museum.
Mr Van Wyk has a BSc from Stellenbosch University in Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Microbiology, Botany and Zoology, and his previous work experience includes volunteering at the Two Oceans Aquarium at the V&A Waterfront. His favourite exhibition at Iziko Museums is Stone Bones of the Ancient Karoo, also known as Fossil Stories. ‘This display takes a person back in time,’ he says. ‘You must use your imagination to see how these massive animals ruled the planet. The display has lovely real fossil examples of mammal-like reptiles from the Karoo.’
Mr Van Wyk aspires to visit natural history museums overseas, and his favourite places in South Africa are any museums a person may visit.
