Maropeng is the official visitors centre for the Cradle Of Humankind, a cave-strewn area around 50km north west of Johannesburg where some of the world's most significant hominid discoveries have been made. Declared a World Heritage Site in 1999, fossils continue to be found here, with the latest significant discovery made in 2013.

The Maropeng visitor's centre building (Maropeng means 'returning to the place of our ancestors') is designed to resemble a burial mound. The extensive modern exhibition takes an interactive approach to the history of life as we know it from the big bang to the evolution of humankind, the discovery of fire and the spread of people across continents. A visit starts with a fun boat ride through the ages before you enter the museum proper where interactive and educational displays are complemented by examples of the kinds of fossils and tools which have been found in the Cradle of Humankind.

Maropeng's newest exhibition space 'Almost Human' tells the amazing story of the discovery of the Rising Star Cave and the Homo Naledi fossils in 2015. The exhibition includes the opportunity to see a display of some of the incredible fossil discoveries that made world headlines in 2015 (entrance to the exhibition is included in the museum price).

A perfect accompaniment to the museum is a guided tour of the Sterkfontein Caves (a five-minute drive down the road) where the remains of Little Foot, Mrs Ples and other famous fossils were found. Tours of the caves take around 45 minutes and are not recommended for the unfit as there are numerous steps and some places where you are required to kneel or crawl.

Tickets can be booked online and onsite. Maropeng visitor's centre is open Mon – Sun from 09:00 – 16:00. General admission to Maropeng is R150 per person, while entrance for children aged 6 –11 costs R125 per person. Pensioners are charged R100 (valid proof of identification required), and children under the age of six enter free of charge. The Sterkfontein Caves are open Tue – Sun from 09:00 – 16:00. There is a tour every hour at Sterkfontein Caves, and the last tour leaves at 16:00. Call +27 11 717 9946 or email info.sterkfonteincaves@wits.ac.za. Visit sterkfonteincaves.wits.ac.za for more information.