Durban City Hall

The basics

Built in 1910 and modeled on Belfast City Hall in Northern Ireland, Durban City Hall is also known as the eThekwini City Hall (eThekwini being the name of the municipality that includes Durban and its surrounding towns). There’s no charge to enter the building, and admission to the gallery and museum is free unless special events are on. Many city sightseeing tours in Durban will include a photo stop here, while some walking tours will look at the interior, which offers yet more Edwardian grandeur.

Things to know before you go

• Durban City Hall will appeal to architecture buffs. The museum is popular with local and traveling families, while the gallery draws fans of African art.
• City Hall is actually Durban’s second city hall. The first, a grand neoclassical structure, is now Durban Central Post Office.
• There is wheelchair access to the main building, the museum, and the art gallery.

How to get there

Durban City Hall sits on Francis Farewell Square in the heart of downtown Durban, about 2 miles (3 kilometers) south of Durban railway station and about a 5-minute walk northwest of the Vasco da Gama memorial clock. The People Mover western bus route connects City Hall to other downtown attractions and the waterfront: you’ll get off at stop W1.

When to get there

The exterior of City Hall can be enjoyed 24/7, although photographers might want to visit at sunset or after dark to capture the illuminated domes. The Natural Science Museum and Durban Art Gallery are open from morning to mid-afternoon Monday through Saturday and from late morning to mid-afternoon on Sunday. Tuesdays and Thursdays are good days to visit the museum, as it often hosts school visits on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Inside the Durban Natural Science Museum

One of South Africa’s oldest museums, the Durban Natural Science Museum is a blast from the past. The collection of stuffed animals includes one of Africa’s largest selections of birds, complete with a dodo skeleton. Kids will appreciate the lifesize T-Rex model, the dung beetle life cycle displays, and an Egyptian mummy called Peter Amen.