Maropeng Visitor Centre
Maropeng is the official visitor centre of the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site, one of the most significant paleoanthropological sites on Earth. Located 50 km northwest of Johannesburg, it offers an extraordinary journey through three billion years of Earth's history and the story of human evolution.
The centrepiece of the Maropeng experience is the Tumulus Building , an architecturally striking grass-covered hillock housing a state-of-the-art interactive museum. Visitors begin with a boat ride through the geological ages, experiencing the formation of the planet before walking through beautifully curated exhibitions on the origins of life, the emergence of Homo sapiens, and the discovery of the famous Mrs Ples and Little Foot fossils.
The site sits adjacent to the Sterkfontein Caves , a UNESCO World Heritage fossil site where more than a third of the world's early human ancestor fossils have been discovered. Guided underground cave tours depart regularly and are included in combo tickets. Maropeng also features an award-winning hotel, two restaurants, and conference facilities, making it ideal for day visits, school trips, and multi-day stays.
The visitor centre is open daily from 09:00 to 17:00.