The City of Johannesburg is undertaking major upgrades to two museums in preparation for the temporary relocation of the Johannesburg Art Gallery’s internationally significant art collection.
The move forms part of a broader effort to preserve what is widely considered the largest and most historically important public art collection in Sub-Saharan Africa.
In a statement released during International Museum Day commemorations, the metro confirmed that Museum Africa and the adjacent Pink Building in Newtown are being upgraded to safely accommodate thousands of artworks currently housed at the Johannesburg Art Gallery (JAG).
According to the city, the relocation is necessary as restoration work continues at the century-old JAG building in Joubert Park, which has faced years of infrastructure deterioration, roof leaks and security concerns.
Historic collection includes global masterpieces
Founded around 1910 through the efforts of Lady Florence Phillips, the Johannesburg Art Gallery has grown into one of Africa’s most influential public art institutions.
The collection now contains between 9,000 and 10,000 individual works spanning European masterpieces, African heritage pieces and significant South African artworks documenting the country’s political and social evolution.
Among the internationally recognised artists represented in the collection are Pablo Picasso, Auguste Rodin, Claude Monet, Edgar Degas and Camille Pissarro.
The gallery also became increasingly focused on preserving Black South African artistic heritage from the late 1980s onward, expanding acquisitions of works by Black artists and maintaining the important Brenthurst Collection of traditional Southern African beadwork and woodcarvings.
Beyond the artworks themselves, the JAG building holds architectural significance. The original gallery was designed by celebrated British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens and has stood in Joubert Park for more than a century.
However, years of urban decline in Johannesburg’s inner city have placed growing pressure on the facility, prompting urgent intervention by municipal authorities.
The city has allocated R50 million toward restoration and preservation efforts linked to the collection.
Museum upgrades aim to improve protection
The City of Johannesburg says the relocation strategy is not only intended to protect artworks during the gallery’s restoration, but also to strengthen long-term cultural infrastructure in the city.
Museum Africa, located in the historic former fruit and vegetable market building on Lilian Ngoyi Street, was selected because of its established role in storytelling, historical preservation and cultural exchange.
Several major infrastructure improvements are currently underway at the temporary storage facilities.
These include the installation of a new 1MVA transformer to stabilise electricity supply, upgraded biometric and CCTV-based security systems, reinforced access control points and round-the-clock security monitoring.
Modern HVAC climate-control systems are also being introduced to regulate temperature and humidity levels critical for artwork preservation.
Additional work includes roof rehabilitation, waterproofing and the installation of gas-based fire suppression systems designed to protect artworks without causing water damage.
“These interventions are critical not only for safeguarding valuable artworks but also as a long-term investment in Johannesburg’s cultural infrastructure,” the city said.
The municipality has also confirmed that portions of the collection may temporarily be housed at other institutions, including the Standard Bank Gallery and the University of Pretoria.
In recent years, the city has faced criticism over the prolonged loaning of several internationally significant artworks while maintenance challenges at JAG continued to worsen.
Officials now hope the restoration and relocation project will preserve the collection for future generations while helping restore Johannesburg Art Gallery’s standing as one of Africa’s leading cultural institutions.
Source: Adapted from City of Johannesburg statements and museum information.
