Jo'Burg - Cradle of Humankind Visitors Center




This entire area is known as the Cradle of Humankind.  The visitors center is basically a childrens museum, gift shop and snack bar.  Its really well done.  Interactive displays, multimedia and even a little Disney type ride so we could experience a little bit of the big bang (and possibly get a skull fracture - it has some design issues).  It was a very nice exhibit.  Even better was an art exhibit on the property called "The Long March to Freedom".  It started out as 100 life size bronze statues but there are more in production.  The info outside the exhibit said it was 500 statues, but on line said it started as 100 and has grown to 400.  I don't know how many were there, but there were a lot and it was impressive.  The statues are of influential people that helped fight for freedom in Africa.  Nelson and Winnie Mandela lead the group but hundreds follow behind in chronological order.  Many of the people were imprisoned or murdered for speaking out.  Gandhi is there.  He was imprisoned with Nelson Mandela at one point. He refused to leave a train car that was 'white only'.  Fidel Castro was there (yes, controversial) but he worked with Nelson Mandela when he was first elected and helped with both political and military issues.  The people represented go back into the 1700s.  It is both visionally and emotionally impressive.


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