Wits/SapienCE wins top cultural award
The Wits/SapienCE Blombos Museum of Archaeology in Still Bay, Southern Cape, has received the award for Best Innovative Project in the Field of Museums, Heritage, and Geographical Names from the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport.
Hovedinnhold
Petro Keene, Principal Curator and designer of the exhibition, accepted the award on behalf of the Museum and the Wits/SapienCE team. Keene commented:
A Tribute to Creative Collaboration
“I would like to thank Professor Christopher Henshilwood and the entire team for their unwavering support over the last ten years of our journey in creating these exhibitions. It was a great privilege and honour to be among the nominees and to receive the award at such a spectacular event.”
Keene was ably supported by Craig Foster, Lisa Hulett, and their talented team, whose vision and dedication made the permanent exhibition possible.
Showcasing Human Origins Through Art and Science
The exhibition showcases the extraordinary journey of our early ancestors and the remarkable discoveries that have shaped our understanding of human prehistory. It combines artifacts, visual displays, and interactive elements to offer an engaging and educational experience. Immersive multimedia presentations feature films by Academy Award-winner Craig Foster, filmmaker Damon Foster, and Åshild Sunde Feyling Thorsen of the University Museum of Bergen.
The Museum highlights the archaeological heritage and rich marine environment of the southern Cape coastline, offering insights into the cultural significance of these prehistoric sites and their importance in understanding the origins of human behavior. The exhibition presents groundbreaking discoveries that illuminate the lives of Homo sapiens in the southern Cape from 120,000 to 50,000 years ago.
A Proud Achievement for Still Bay
Visitors are invited to explore the results of over 30 years of meticulous research by leading archaeologists, including Professor Christopher Henshilwood, Professor Sarah Wurz, Dr Karen van Niekerk, and their teams. Their investigations at renowned sites such as Blombos Cave, Klasies River, and Klipdrift Shelter have unearthed extraordinary artefacts and evidence of early modern human behaviours and lifestyles.
“Congratulations to everyone involved on this well-deserved recognition. This is a wonderful acknowledgement of the team’s work—the designers, installers, and curators did a great job on a limited budget. It is a proud achievement not only for our team but also for the town of Still Bay,” says Henshilwood.
Connecting Research with Society
The Wits/SapienCE team is currently involved in three permanent exhibitions in Cape Town and the southern Cape as part of its outreach and education initiatives.
The award was announced on 7 October at the Artscape Theatre in Cape Town, during an event celebrating outstanding contributions to the fields of arts, culture, language, heritage, libraries, museums, and archives in the province.
