It was my first time visiting the museum and I thought it would be a nice way for me to refresh my mind before studying in the Library but I wish I did not go because of the disrespect my friends and I got from the receptionist(Zamo) who also claimed she was the manager when we wanted to report her behaviour. She was rude from the get go and enjoyed humiliating us in front of her colleagues who just laughed , seemed like they were enjoying the show. After reporting her she then changes the story and says it a daily procedure and that she was just trying to have a conversation with us, please there is a different between having a conversation and being rude and blaming someone for someone else’s mistake. We are student who just wanted to explore the museum I don’t get what we did wrong
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
Up to 10 min

A spectacular place filled with great knowledge about historic creatures from their evolution to their extinction. This is a wonderful environment to learn and uncover many facts that you did not know about some of your surroundings. When I went to the musuem I was really impressed by the ART displayed there, from the lion made with white plastic spoons to the breathtaking creations by Wonder Mbambo. This is most definately a place one should visit when they around town. It's free entry. At no cost you get to see the most beautiful creations and learn more about science, animals and human evolution. Be sure not to carry sharp or dangerous objects when visiting this place because you will get in trouble. There are metal detectors at the entrance.

I was expecting more for a big city like this. The museum is very small only a few excebiseons. Due to covid the museum time says 5pm. But they close at 2pm. We went trough the museum in less then 30min The man who greed you at the street will tell you to leave money for the meter and when you don't want to do it he will insist and until you give the meter money only to find out that he was playing you for fool as the meters is not working at this time and when you look for the meter man you will find he is long gone with your meter money. Don't get fooled!!

In the heart of Durban I found the museum to lack excitement. Nothing exclusive that I know of was on display and the science floor was under construction. No coffee shop and please be vigilant when trying to find parking outside the beautiful building, because you will be bombarded by homeless people who want to charge you for the parking! We went in a big crowd - children between ages 5 and 18 and we visited all three floors in under an hour. What a disappointment!

These days, there is very few things to do that is educational and free. The Natural Science Museum was both. Very well set out with informative displays and security posted all over. The kids loved looking at the displays and trying to guess the names of all the amimals and reptiles on display. A hidden gem which was over an hour of visual stimulation that is not a screen.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

I have revisited this place like after 15 years. Still looks same with a little Renovations done. Parking is a hassle here and it is safer to park at workshop or royal hotel parking & walk to City Hall. Sad part is that there Renovations werent completed & therefore out of the four viewing galleries, only 1 was open for viewing. Free Entrance to Public. Will pop in again once the renovations are done. Kids had a blast though with the Giant T-Rex Statue.

A recommended visit for visitors to Durban. A public library on the ground floor, detailed Animal, bird, insect and dinosaur displays on the first floor and an art gallery on the 2nd. Certain sections were under renovation / restoration (October 2017). Certain displays are interactive. And models are extremely life like. Many school tours during the week. Pity that entry is not wheelchair / pram friendly and the lift was temporarily out of order.

ENTRY IS FREE!!! I first visited 18 years ago and on the 09/02/2020 had the honor of taking my kid and i was still blown away. The museum is well maintained and secured.thumbs up to all who maintain the museum. The amount of exhibits with realistic animals and the amount of detail put into the displays including backgrounds, props and sounds will surely amaze you. The museum has many life size animals but you will be blown away by the dinosaur.

What a nice and well maintained small museum. No entry fee. Our children enjoyed it, especially the T-Rex. Parking is on the street which had been really busy. Also take care with the car guards as they demand upfront fees etc. Would recommend parking at one of the parkades close by e.g. Royal or Avis
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Loved that this is so close to home and free, sad that not everything is labelled. I would love to see the insects and butterflies with tags. A little dusty and some exhibits need bulbs replaced. Still incredible to see and worth the visit. Give yourself time to read the plaques they do have.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
1 hr+
Reservation recommended
No

Visited on 10.04.23. The museum is well maintained, with some new sections (of the Dodo bird). I love going here, it's peaceful and informative. Learning about South Africa's natural heritage is important. Parking can be a bit of an issue since it's off the roadside. Please be wary and vigilant of your surroundings when entering and exiting the museum.

We had a wonderful outing to the museum today. Four children aged 3 to 9 and 2 adults were absolutely intrigued by the displays. We were impressed by the friendliness of the staff and the overall condition of the building and museum. Very proud of our city today.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Had a most interesting time at the Durban Natural Science Museum. Although the exhibits are quite old all the signage and info is up to date and all well maintained. Was inspiring and positive to see that the museum is so well looked after. The artists gallery is also a must see. Good to know that there is so much creativity in our art. More

At the moment, only the reptile exhibit is open. I'm hoping that once the mammal exhibit opens again it will be better. The birds and dinosaur were fun for my 3 year old, but we were in and out of there within half an hour. Not really worth the drive to down for half an hour. I really hope they get the mammal exhibit open soon.

Entry is free I loved this place, its a recommended visit, has interesting display, and its not too big as well so suitable for anyone. Has elevator. Library on ground floor, and museum on first. Worth noting that the building is shared with city council(other side from the museum), so make sure you enter from the correct side

What can I say.... As a child, I loved it, and I still do. Taking my grandaughter there and seeing her eyes lit up brings back so many great memories. The museum is very clean and organized. Parents, take your kids there. It is great.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Definitely a must see. I enjoyed the professional presentation of all the museum pieces. History has been beautifully preserved. My favorite was the Egyptian Mummy and it's reconstruction from scans. The life size T-Rex was impressive too. Altogether it was an amazing experience in the heart of the city of Durban.

The place to wonderful and has such a great feel to be in the place again. It very small that's why it doesn't have the amount off visitors it should be getting. The art galary was mediocre at best, the pieces were all sad and had depth but over not good at all. Most of the art was photography.....

Entry is still free! Relived my childhood memories! Wonderful experience.. The detail on every display still amazes me. Glad to see that it’s been well maintained and looks exactly how it looked to me 16 years ago. Would suggest to have more security ( apart from cameras) throughout the venue.

Strict Covid protocols and security is number one. Very neat tidy and spacious. However the top level had very disturbing pieces with no warning or age restrictions. It's called (The War Room). My 7 and 8 year old just ran in there and came out devastated and bothered. It's very emotional!!

Free museum with some interesting displays of animals. It's not a massive place, but it a great stop for an hour or two. It has an art gallery on the top floor but my favourite aspect is the architecture and being in the building with the wrought iron balustrades and red carpeted stairs.

Who says learning can't be fun? This is definitely great edutainment for kids and adults alike. Entrance is free. I'd highly recommend this place as it also has a library and art gallery on site. I'm definitely going back for round 2 since I got there just before closing time.

Just as good as I remember from when I lasted visited here during primary school. It has been revamped and really well kept, parking and safety is the only concern really but wroth the visit
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

I've been visiting this place since I was a kid. Glad I had the opportunity to take my own kid which he simply loved. Place is well maintained although there hasn't been any new additions to the exhibition. Still a good way to kill a few hours of time for absolutely free.

After last being at the museum 20 years ago I was very pleased to see the wonderful condition it was still in and the fact that it is free to the public, educational for the kids and a nice excursion for the family.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait

Awesome experience! Well maintained, beautiful exhibits. Really great to kill a couple hours. Would recommend it to anyone. It's difficult to find parking though.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Very informative content with vividly memorable displays. You can extend the experience by taking your time or choose a brief walkthrough instead. Great location to get lost in a book (just not next to the vultures' ). I would easily return. …

I love seeing the animals at the Museum in the exact environment you will find them in the wild. The animals also have Zulu names which was quite interesting as most of them I only knew them with English. The herpetology section is my favourite

Very educational. First visit in about 4 decades. Not sure what they did with the exhibit about the Voortrekkers? Excellent work with the displays.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

The Durban Natural Science Museum is located in a beautiful 19th-Century colonial administrative building in Durban's central district. The wildlife displays and dioramas are exquisite! Many large mammals, reptiles, and birds are

Wolrd class mesium with almost all african wild animals and birds ,some pre hestoric animals bones and humam history the stuff helps explains
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

We went for a practical session for our training. It was amazing. Great tour guide Cris. Information obtained was fruitful. Very interesting museum...love it because it accommodate most people. It is also free . …

Awesome FREE outing with the family. It's not the biggest place in the world so its a fairly quick outing. Security is really jacked up too. Worth a visit for sure. Maybe follow up with a boat ride at the harbour.

Morning spent exploring Durban with my son. Great well run and clean Museum with loads of information. Definitely worth a visit.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

This place is really well done. With comprehensive displays covering the entire history of the area, combined with the history of the settlement of man in South Africa, we spent a fascinating hour there.

Warm staff, even the security. Beautiful and clean, love the poetry playing while you take in the beautiful creations.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Visited the museum after about 35 years. Was very interesting and informative. However, more local items relevant to Kzn could have been displayed.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait

Well in this place I got a chance to see all the birds that I had longed to see and also in action. This museum doesn't only show you animals but also have art with a brief history about our country

Most of the exhibits are exactly the same as when I was a kid, with a few changes here and there. It is somewhat well maintained. I am glad to report that they are keeping strict covid 19 protocol.

What a great place to go to on a rainy day in Durban! I loved the presentation of the animals, very well done and beautifully arranged. Definitely one of the best museums I have ever been to!

Strongly recommend to visit!! And children and adults. Amazing museum with so high quality works. And also it is free to visit.
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Not wheel chair friendly. Apparently the elevator has not been working for the last 5 years. And there's no way to get into the museum without going up many flights of stairs.

Not the best museum in the world but good fun for the kids. If you are unable to see the big 5 in the wild then this is a good place to visit. Animals are pretty life like.

What an amazing experience. I didn't want to leave. Educational and informative.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
Not sure

Visited this museum about 25 years ago when I was a child, and on 13 October I had the pleasure of showing my sons this beautiful place, still the same as a remember it.

They have amazing gallery , it's free entrance and their stuff is friendly.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Always exciting visiting here for both children and adults
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Nostalgic walk around the museum this afternoon. Clean, well staffed, and organized. My car was safe on the road for the hour we were there.

No entry fee, nice museum in very beautiful building.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait
Reservation recommended
No

Two of the sections were closed due to.construction which was unfortunate. Definitely worth a visit though! Art gallery upstairs is lovely

The Durban Natural Science Museum is great. I look forward to another visit.
Visited on
Weekday
Wait time
No wait

Well maintained, secure and peaceful. The museum is like a live game tour.
Visited on
Weekend
Wait time
No wait

Lots to see and for a tourist the exhibition was lovely. No entry fee and lots of photos to take in the surrounding parks

I simply loved it, very well kept neat and tidy all exhibits in great condition. Kudos to the staff and security.

Unfortunately some of the exhibits were being restored when we visited. Almost 3/4 of the museum was still open.

Well maintained, great staff and helpful.Great artwork. Love the Penguin fish and hooks
Visited on…
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Free entrance and a wow experience for kids and adults great facts and views of animals and arts.

You can bring your children here for a great experience
Visited on
Weekd…
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Loved it...just wish they had parking for visitors
Visited on
Weekday…
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Had an interesting time learning about various animals both extinct and non...

What a nice place it is, highly recommended
Visited on
Weekday…
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It was my first time going inside it and i loved it and my kids enjoyed too

The kids loved it, especially the one crazy about animals and dinosaurs.

Decent display, not much has improved nor has the displays increased.

This place is a tourist attractions with its amazing animals display

It's educational and beautiful, not to mention it's free. …

Awesome must see. Great Art Gallery and Natural History Museum

Small, but high quality exhibits. Worth a visit definitely

Wow. Fantastic exhibition. Great art.

Super clean and some great exhibits!