Choose your country and language:

Africa

  • Global
  • Angola
  • Botswana
  • DRC
  • Ethiopia
  • Ghana
  • Kenya
  • Malawi
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Nigeria
  • South Africa
  • Tanzania
  • Uganda
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe
  • shotLeft

Americas

  • USA
  • Argentina
  • Brazil

Asia Pacific

  • China
  • India
  • Japan
  • South Korea
  • Australia

Europe

  • France
  • Germany
  • Italy
  • Netherlands
  • United Kingdom
Back

IIf you want to discover the rich and vibrant South African culture and how it has evolved over time, a trip to the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum in the Eastern Cape is definitely an eye-opening experience.

The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum is home to an impressive collection, ranging from British and Oriental art to international printmaking and art from the local Eastern Cape. Even St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth, the entrance to which you’ll find the museum, is a piece of art created by Mother Nature herself.

The limited exhibition space means that there is a constant rotation of artworks from the museum’s large, permanent collection. So there’s always something new to see at the gallery.

Did You Know?
TThe Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum was founded by the Port Elizabeth Municipality on the 22 June 1956Qing dynasty.

TThe permanent collection is mainly retrospective. The museum, however, features art from across the historical spectrum at its temporary exhibitions. Highlights from the permanent collection include works by renowned artists such as Henry Moore, David Hockney, Marc Chagall, Honore Daumier and Rembrandt van Rijn. The Orient is represented by a selection of Indian miniatures, Japanese wood-block prints and Chinese items from the Qing dynasty.

TThis art gallery has also collected artworks by prominent South African artists for over 50 years. Some of the gallery's recent contemporary acquisitions include works by some of South Africa's top artists, including Berni Searle, Conrad Botes, Diane Victor and Nicholas Hlobo.

One of the most interesting parts of the museum’s collection is the art that comes from the local area, representing the spirit of the Eastern Cape. Learn about the artistic history of the city and the province through some famous local artists, including Walter Battiss and George Milwa Mnyaluza Pemba. The museum is also home to art projects like the award-winning Keiskamma Art Project, which is a rare treat.

Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum, Port Elizabeth

Food
When to visit
How to get here

TThe gallery has now been incorporated into the Arts Precinct of Nelson Mandela Bay, where you can stroll through many arts venues including Route 67, Athenaeum, the Ron Belling Art Gallery and artEC.

Who to contact
How to get here
Best time to visit
Around the area
What will it cost
What's happening
Best buys

Related articles

Vibrant culture

South Africa’s Eastern Cape, Nelson Mandela’s home province

Vibrant culture
South Africa’s Eastern Cape, Nelson Mandela’s home province
Home to glorious stretches of beaches, mountainous terrains, jaw-dropping rock formations, a rich catalogue of plant and wildlife which includes the Big 7 (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, buffalo, Southern Right whales and Great White sharks), South Africa’s Eastern Cape province is also the birth place of the late global icon and humanitarian - Nelson Mandela. The acclaimed leader, whose birthday is celebrated globally through acts of kindness on 18 July, was born and raised amongst this province’s lush valleys and winding rivers.
Vibrant culture

Xhosa cuisine: a delicious blend of ancient and modern

Vibrant culture
Xhosa cuisine: a delicious blend of ancient and modern
Visitors to South Africa should make sure they try Xhosa cuisine, whether in its Eastern Cape heartland or anywhere else that offers umngqusho, amasi, ikhowa and other delicacies.
Vibrant culture

Xhosa traditions: discover Eastern Cape’s indigenous culture

Vibrant culture
Xhosa traditions: discover Eastern Cape’s indigenous culture
Cultural villages and museums in South Africa are great places to learn more about Xhosa traditions and how these express the culture and beliefs of this ancient Eastern Cape people.
Vibrant culture

South African cultural museums: rich traditions and history all over

Vibrant culture
South African cultural museums: rich traditions and history all over
South Africans are a diverse mix of peoples from Africa, Europe, Asia and elsewhere, and the many museums scattered around the country preserve rich histories, heritages and cultural traditions.
Vibrant culture

Cata Cultural Village, Eastern Cape: a small Xhosa community with a big heart

Vibrant culture
Cata Cultural Village, Eastern Cape: a small Xhosa community with a big heart
Cata Cultural Village is a traditional Xhosa community that allows visitors to learn all about the local people and their heritage while enjoying the attractions of Eastern Cape province.
Wildlife safari

Port Elizabeth to Grahamstown/Makhanda: drive ‘the Wildlife Route’ through frontier history

Wildlife safari
Port Elizabeth to Grahamstown/Makhanda: drive ‘the Wildlife Route’ through frontier history
The ‘Wildlife Route’ from Port Elizabeth to Grahamstown/Makhanda in Eastern Cape offers a journey through European/Xhosa frontier history, exquisite birds, elephants and scenery, and delicious food.
Vibrant culture

Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum: Discover the soul of Eastern Cape in Port Elizabeth

Vibrant culture
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum: Discover the soul of Eastern Cape in Port Elizabeth
The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, boasts a diverse collection ranging from European and Asian art to many local pieces reflecting South Africa’s cultures.
Vibrant culture

Gemsbok antelope: spirit of the Kalahari Desert

Vibrant culture
Gemsbok antelope: spirit of the Kalahari Desert
The South African oryx – universally called gemsbok by the locals – embodies the spirit of the Kalahari Desert: magnificent to look at, adapted to the heat and aridity, and hard to conquer.

South Africa on social media

Copyright © 2023 South African Tourism
|Terms and conditions|Disclaimer|Privacy policy