Top cultural award for Blombos Museum
- Wits University
Blombos Museum of Archaeology named best innovative project in the Field of Museums, Heritage and Geographical Names.
The Wits/SapienCE Blombos Museum of Archaeology in Still Bay in the southern Cape has been awarded the prize for ‘Best Innovative Project in the Field of Museums, Heritage, and Geographical Names’ by the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport.
The announcement took place on 7 October at the Artscape Theatre in Cape Town - an event that celebrates outstanding contributions to the fields of arts, culture, language, heritage, libraries, museums and archives in the province.
Petro Keene, the Principal Curator and designer of the exhibition, accepted the award on behalf of the Museum and the Wits/SapienCE (Centre for Early Science Behaviour) team. She was ably assisted in this achievement by Craig Foster, Lisa Hulett and their talented team whose foresight made this permanent exhibition possible. Keene says: “I would like to thank Professor Chris Henshilwood and the entire team for their unwavering support over the last ten years of our journey in creating these exhibitions. It was a great privilege and honour to be part of the nominees and to receive the award at the spectacular event.”
The exhibition invites visitors to explore the extraordinary journey of our early ancestors and the remarkable discoveries that have shaped our understanding of human prehistory. It features a unique blend of artifacts, visual displays and interactive elements, offering visitors an engaging and educational experience. It also includes immersive multimedia presentations with films by Academy Award-winner Craig Foster, filmmaker Damon Foster, and Åshild Sunde Feyling Thorsen of the University Museum of Bergen.
Funding for the Blombos Museum of Archaeology was provided primarily through the Wits South African Research Chair held by Henshilwood, with support from the Hessequa Municipality and the Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve. “Congratulations to everyone involved on this well-deserved recognition. This is a wonderful acknowledgement of the work of the team - the designers, installers and curators, did a great job on a limited budget. It is a proud achievement not only for our team but also for the town of Still Bay,” says Henshilwood.
Professor Nithaya Chetty, the Dean of the Faculty of Science, says: “I would like to extend my appreciation to all who have contributed to this magnificent success. This is a fantastic recognition of the team’s research-led efforts in an area that is critically important for our own understanding of our human origins. I would also like to acknowledge the team’s hard work, dedication and creativity. This is inspiring and will encourage a new generation of students and researchers to follow in your footsteps.”
The Museum showcases the archaeological heritage and rich marine environment of the southern Cape coastline, offering insights into the cultural significance of these prehistoric sites and the importance of these discoveries in understanding the origins of human behavior. The exhibition in the Museum showcases groundbreaking discoveries that illuminate the lives of Homo sapiens in the southern Cape from 120,000 to 50,000 years ago. Visitors are invited to explore the results of over 30 years of meticulous research by leading archaeologists, including Henshilwood, Professor Sarah Wurz, Dr Karen van Niekerk, and their teams. Their investigations at renowned sites such as Blombos Cave, Klasies River and Klipdrift Shelter have unearthed extraordinary artifacts and evidence of early modern human behaviours and lifestyles.
Professor Lynn Morris, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Innovation, extended her appreciation to the team: “Congratulations to the entire Wits/SapienCE team. Having just been to De Hoop and seen the exhibition I can say this is very well deserved. I listened to every video and read every panel. It is so well done and captivating and I had an excellent guide. Thank you for bringing the past back to life in such an interesting way and for bringing this prestige to Wits.”
The Wits team is involved in three permanent exhibitions in Cape Town and the southern Cape as part of its outreach and education initiatives.
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Blombos Museum of Archaeology, Still Bay: Wits/SapienCE ‘Origins of Early Southern Sapiens Behaviour Exhibition’ opened at Blombos Museum of Archaeology on the 16th of December 2024 and is a permanent exhibition. Info: https://www.facebook.com/p/Blombos-Museum-of-Archaeology-61559335355934/
SANParks Cape Point Exhibition: In March 2023 Wits opened a Wits/SapienCE exhibition titled ‘Origins of Early Southern Sapiens Behaviour’ at the SANParks Information Centre at Cape Point, Cape Town. This park attracts over one million visitors a year. The feedback has been highly positive, and more than 500,000 visitors have visited the exhibition. This exhibition is now permanent and will be upgraded in 2026. Info: https://www.sanparks.org/news/origins-of-early-southern-sapiens-behaviour-exhibition-launch-cape-of-good-hope
De Hoop Collection Exhibition: In November 2023 a newly devised exhibition Wits/SapienCE ‘Origins of Modern Human Behaviour’ opened at the De Hoop Collection located in the De Hoop Nature Reserve, southern Cape. Funding for a part of the exhibition came from SapienCE and previously from the Wits South African Research Chair. Cape Nature is a collaborator in the exhibition. This exhibition is permanent and will be upgraded in 2026. Info: https://www.dehoopcollection.com/origins-of-early-southern-sapiens-behaviour-exhibition/