Kwa Muhle Museum

Learn about Durban’s history by visiting the Kwa Muhle Museum …

Kwa Muhle Museum

Introduction

Kwa Muhle Museum has a distinctive architectural design which was once the headquarters of the city’s Native Administration Department of labour control. It was built to accommodate people who moved to the city in search of jobs. The Museum shows the history and reality of what people went through in the 20^th century and it documents Durban’s urban growth and history of its residents.

Kwa Muhle Museum is one of the 4 museums that constitute Durban’s local history museums. The others are the Old Court House Museum, Old House Museum and the Port Natal Maritime Museum.

Background / History of the building

The Kwa Muhle Museum is a double storey, arch lined, union style building. It was designed in 1927 by town architect William Murray-Jones and was built the following year, in 1928. It has an arch lined veranda with large copper covered entrance doors.

The name Kwa Muhle means “place of the good one” and it was named after first manager of the Native Administration Department, J.S Marwick, who earned himself the reputation of being called uMuhle meaning “the good one”.

The building was initially used for administering and controlling the affairs of the African urban population in Durban. Most African men came to the building to acquire documents called the “pass book” which enabled them to seek employment in the city.

The location of the building is central to the development of current time Durban. It was previously surrounded by a sorghum brewery, beer halls, shebeens, and Bantu social which was a meeting place for the African National Congress (ANC) meetings. It was thus the centre of African life and various activities of social, political and a cultural nature.

Collections/ Exhibitions

Kwa Muhle Museum has vast information and exhibitions valuable to different kinds of people such as learners, students, tourists, historians, social scientists and the general public at large. Exhibited in the Museum are various collections of large black and white prints reflecting township life, and an accurate depiction of the history of black political trade union, cultural organisations and groupings. The exhibitions also reflect on the contributions of the ordinary people who laid the foundations of Durban’s development.

Location and Directions

Physical Address; 130 Bram Fisher (Ordinance) Road, Durban Central

Coming from the city centre in Durban central, drive along Samora Machel (Aliwal) street and turn left into Bram Fisher (Ordnance) Road and keep to the right. Within sight is the Kwa Muhle Museum.

Operating Hours

Monday to Saturdays; 8:30am to 4pm

Sundays and Public Holidays; 11:30am to 4 pm

Permit

Free

Parking

Free parking is available for the visitors.

Contact details

Telephone 27 31 311 2237