Not every good day needs a big build-up, writes Zoë Erasmus. Sometimes it’s as simple as meeting a friend, wandering into a museum, and seeing where the hours take you.
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On a Wednesday morning, with no real plan beyond “let’s go to Zeitz MOCAA,” that was more than enough, and as a South African citizen we have the privilege of visiting the museum for free on Wednesdays between the hours of 10am to 1pm.
Walking into the museum from the V&A Waterfront, the shift is immediate. The noise softens, footsteps echo, and suddenly everyone is looking up. The vast concrete atrium, carved from what was once a grain silo, has a way of reorienting you. Before you’ve seen a single artwork, the building itself has already asked you to slow down.
We didn’t arrive with a plan. No must-see exhibitions, no attempt to “do” the entire museum. That, perhaps, is the secret to enjoying Zeitz MOCAA. It rewards wandering. Elevators open onto unexpected views, staircases curve into shadow, and light pours in from places you don’t expect. Even the act of moving through the space feels deliberate, as if the museum is gently guiding you rather than demanding your attention.
Inside the galleries, time stretches. We lingered longer than planned in some rooms and drifted quickly through others, allowing instinct rather than obligation to dictate our pace. Some artworks invite immediate connection; others ask you to sit with discomfort or uncertainty. There’s freedom in knowing you don’t have to understand everything. Sometimes looking closely is enough.
Image by Zoë Erasmus
What stood out most were the moments in between. The benches placed just far enough from the walls to encourage reflection, the windows framing slices of the harbour, the quiet hum of other visitors sharing the same unspoken agreement to take their time. Zeitz MOCAA isn’t a place you rush through; it’s a place you inhabit for a while.
Going with a friend makes the experience softer, lighter. Conversations weave themselves between galleries, about art, yes, but also about life, about nothing in particular. You notice different things, point out details the other might have missed. It becomes less about interpretation and more about shared attention and about seeing together.
By the time hunger crept in, it felt natural to let the museum day spill back into the Waterfront. Lunch at Primi offered a gentle return to the everyday: tables buzzing with conversation, the comfort of familiar flavours. Sharing a pizza, is always the most fun and budget-friendly way to enjoy lunch and catch up with a friend. Thin crust, generous toppings, easy to eat slowly while replaying favourite moments from the morning. It was simple, unfussy, and exactly what the day needed.
Image by Zoë Erasmus
There’s something grounding about ending a cultural outing with food. It anchors the experience, turns reflection into conversation, and marks a clear transition back into the city’s rhythm.
A Wednesday at Zeitz MOCAA is a reminder that culture doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag to feel indulgent. With free entry for South African citizens and plenty of ways to linger without spending, it’s a day that feels generous rather than costly. Art, architecture, friendship, and lunch shared across a table, all easy on the pocket, and rich in the ways that matter.
In a city known for its big moments and expensive pleasures, there’s something quietly special about choosing a day that’s simple, accessible, and entirely unhurried.
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