Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum

General information

The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum is a municipal art museum situated in the heart of Nelson Mandela Bay in St George’s Park. The NMM Art Museum is a dynamic regional Museum that reflects the history and character of art, craft and design produced in the Eastern Cape and its relationship to national and international trends.

It is home to a comprehensive collection of South African art and craft and specializes in the art of the Eastern Cape Province.

Mission Statement
The Mission Statement of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum is to collect, preserve and exhibit and foster the understanding and enjoyment of works of art at the highest possible museum and scholarly standards.

Vision Statement
The vision for the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum is for the Art Museum to be a place that the citizens of Nelson Mandela Bay value and take pride in and that will promote our city nationally and internationally. We want our collections to be universally accessible and to provide a source of inspiration that will make a positive difference to people’s lives.

What is our purpose?
We acquire and conserve permanent collections.

What do we collect?
Art of the Eastern Cape, South African Art, Contemporary art, International printmaking, British Art, Oriental Art.

What do we do?
We maintain the collections.
We serve the public by making the collections accessible.
We provide support for research.
We market the Museums functions and services.

Exhibitions
Most exhibitions on show are from our Permanent Collection which consists of South African art, British art, Oriental art and International printmaking. Due to limited space our 3 exhibition halls are re-hung throughout the year. The Exhibitions Curator will identify a theme for the Exhibition and then relevant artworks are selected from our permanent collection. We also host travelling exhibitions or temporary / special exhibitions.

Education Programmes
We provide an excellent range of services for schools and community groups including guided tours, school workshops, holiday workshops and outreach programmes. For programme details and bookings, please phone us. Booking is essential and works on a first come first serve basis.

Public Programmes
Better understand and appreciate the Museum’s collections through a diverse range of exhibitions and programmes, including fun, interactive activities for the entire family.

Professional Services
Our Reference Library and Archives can be used by the public by appointment on weekdays. Conservation Studio and Research staff can assist with enquiries made by post, fax, email or phone. All consultations are by appointment only.