South Africa is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Many dont know this, but it is also a place for learning. Aside from the attractions and beautiful scenery, South Africa has one of the largest science centers in the world – the Sci-Bono Discovery Centre.
The science centre is located in Gauteng, one of the nine provinces of South Africa. It was originally named Pretoria-Witwatersrand-Vereeniging or PWV. The name was too long so it was renamed as Gauteng in 1994, which means place of gold. It also happens to be the smallest province in South Africa. Gauteng is home to the largest and most populous city in South Africa, Johannesburg, which happens to be one of the 50 largest urban areas in the world.
People travel from all over South Africa and the world to visit this educational tourist destination. It’s a great stopover when travelling through this amazing country, which is packed with exciting adventures and places to see. It’s similar in stature to the Eden Project attraction in Cornwall in England because of its core foundational beliefs and focus on education and personal enhancement.
In affiliation with the Gauteng Department of Education, the Sci-Bono Discovery Centre is located in Newtown, Johannesburg. It is the largest science center that supports math, science and technology. Its mission is to help build the science, engineering and technology capacity in South Africa.
Sci-Bono is a non-profit organization that is funded by the Gauteng Department of Education and private sectors. They strive to achieve these goals:
– To improve teaching and learning of mathematics, science and technology in Gauteng
– To provide a career education to students in Gauteng
– To promote and improve by raising public awareness of and engagement with science, engineering and technology in Gauteng
Aligned with their vision for success, Sci-Bono is composed of a team of experts and professionals that are highly experienced and respected in the field of mathematics, science and engineering. They take pride in their exhibits that are world class. They aim to stay at par with the worlds continually growing science community. They have nearly 400 permanent exhibits that are interactive, which visitors may touch, press, feel and play with.
Aside from their own exhibits, the Sci-Bono Center also hosts other local and international exhibits. It is not only available in the center itself, but is also taken to visit other schools and community centers in Gauteng and other provinces. As part of their vision they share their knowledge and technology to help raise awareness and interest in math, science and engineering.
The Sci-Bono Discovery Centre is open daily even on public holidays except Christmas and Good Friday. They are open 9 AM to 5 PM on Mondays to Fridays, and 9 AM to 4:30 PM on Saturdays and Sundays.
Children ages 3 years old and below get in for free. Children 16 years old and below can get in for R32, while Adults have to pay R48. They also offer special discounts for students or pensioners with a valid ID for only R32. Public schools can get in at R15 and private schools at R21. Family tickets are at R140, which includes 2 adults and 2 children below 16 years old.
Rates are subject to change and are only valid for entry to Sci-Bono Discovery Centre and do not include other exhibitions and workshops.
