Art Galleries in and near Port Elizabeth

Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum

The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum, formerly the King George VI Art Gallery, was opened on 22 June 1956 and renamed in December 2002. The collections are housed in two buildings framing the ... more

If you really want to take home a piece of South African culture, head to some of the many art galleries that dot the country. Centred mainly in the major cities of Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria and Durban, art galleries are the venues for artists to showcase, their creative interpretations of South African life.

There is art available for every taste, from depictions of township life to interpretations of the apartheid struggles, vast landscapes, African wildlife, sculpture and modern art.

South Africa's National Gallery is housed in Cape Town in the Company Gardens in the centre of the city. There are permanent collections of both African and international art and there are several special exhibitions a year.

Some smaller, tourist towns also have world class art galleries where visitors can view and purchase art pieces. Some of the best include George, Hermanus, Hartbeespoort Dam, Port Elizabeth and Stellenbosch. With each of these in a distinctly different part of the country, the art on display reflects the uniqueness of the area.

For example, head to Stellenbosch if you are looking for painting of the South African wine country, or to Hermanus for portraits of the whales that visit every spring.

One town that has developed a niche for itself in providing art galleries is Greyton in the Overberg in the Western Cape. With several galleries and most of the artists living in the area, it offers a more personal experience than a gallery in the major cities.