Absa Money Museum
If you want to know more about the history of money in South Africa, then the Absa Money Museum in downtown Johannesburg is the perfect place for you to visit.
The only banking museum in the country, the Absa Museum houses a collection of various forms of money used through South African history, including cowrie shells, Venetian glass beads and gold coins recovered from sunken ships.
The museum provides a record of the history of money dating back 4 500 years, to when people exchanged commodities such as salt, seashells, metal and animals for services rendered. This barter trade gave birth to money as we know it today. The exhibition includes an overview of monetary currencies, and shows how currency strength was determined before stock markets existed.
The history of the Absa Group is also displayed in the museum, allowing visitors to track the bank’s trajectory from its beginnings to its position as one of the country’s “big five” banks.
Other interesting exhibits cover the history of technology in South African banking, including internet and cellphone banking, bank-related crimes, the history and usage of ATMs and the advent of the credit card.
The museum offers educational programmes focusing on financial literacy and specialises in tours for the hearing impaired.
Admission
No admission charge
Visiting hours
Monday to Friday from 08h00 to 16h00
Closed on public holidays
Directions
Johannesburg central business district