The winner of the Passport Museum competition was announced on Friday, November 1, during a lucky draw held aboard the luxurious Blue Train. Jubilation filled the train as it was revealed that the winner hails from Carter’s Glen in Kimberley. The lucky winner, will enjoy a luxury travel experience, walking away with two tickets for a memorable journey on the Blue Train valued at about R80,000.
THE WINNER of the Passport Museum competition was announced on Friday, November 1, during a lucky draw held aboard the luxurious Blue Train. Jubilation filled the train as it was revealed that the winner hails from Carter’s Glen in Kimberley. The lucky winner, Heinrich Kleynhans, will enjoy a luxury travel experience, walking away with two tickets for a memorable journey on the Blue Train.
To raise awareness of key cultural institutions, increase visitor numbers, and showcase the rich historical offerings in the Northern Cape, four cultural institutions in the Sol Plaatje municipal area – the William Humphreys Art Gallery (WHAG), Transnet Transport Museum, McGregor Museum, and Big Hole Museum – launched the Museum Passport competition.
The competition officially began on Friday, September 20, 2024, and ran until October 18, 2024, coinciding with Tourism Month, Transport Month, and Heritage Month. According to WHAG curatorial assistant Malikah Meyer, the competition aimed to educate people about the region’s heritage institutions and inspire more visits to these sites.
“The aim of the competition is to plant a love and curiosity of heritage institutions among locals. Many people have never set foot in an art gallery or museum. This way we get to educate and promote the work the galleries and museums conduct, as well as showcase the works of the various artists,” said Meyer.
Participants in the competition stood a chance to win a one-way trip for two, valued at about R80,000, on the luxurious Blue Train from Cape Town to Pretoria or vice versa. Entry was simple: visitors could collect a passport from any of the four participating museums and explore each institution for a minimum of 30 minutes, receiving a stamp at each location. Once all four stamps were collected, participants could submit their passport into a competition box located within the museums. There were no age restrictions, and applicants could enter as many times as they liked.
“Entrance fees to these institutions are very affordable. The entrance fee to the WHAG is only R5 for adults and a mere R2 for children. Students can gain free entry with their student card. There is so much to explore that 30 minutes will be insufficient time to go through all the beautiful art pieces, which include tapestry, photography, and sculpting that are on showcase at the gallery. Everyone can come and enjoy the talents that are on display,” Meyer urged.
