Following giants: South Africa set to launch new dinosaur centre
A new dinosaur centre in the Free State is expected to draw more visitors to the breathtaking Golden Gate Highlands National Park.
The Kgodumodumo Dinosaur Interpretation Centre in the Free State will officially open next week, offering interactive exhibitions that showcase the area’s paleontological, scientific, and cultural importance.
Located in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park, the centre will spotlight key discoveries, including the world’s oldest dinosaur embryos. SANParks, which oversees the park, aims to attract more visitors through this new attraction.
Tourism Minister Patricia De Lille and Dion George, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, will officially open the attraction next week on 22 June.
New dinosaur centre to boost Free State tourism and jobs
The Kgodumodumo Dinosaur Interpretation Centre is a joint development by the Departments of Tourism and Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment. R120 million in funding came from the European Union through an application submitted by National Treasure.
The Department of Tourism believes that the Kgodumodumo Dinosaur Interpretation Centre will boost tourism in the Free State and thereby create more jobs in the sector. Part of the project included the training of a new cohort of local guides.
Minister De Lille welcomed the milestone launch in a statement, calling on tourists to visit the facility:
“Whether your joy is sparked by science, nature, culture, or connection, the Kgodumodumo Dinosaur Interpretation Centre is an experience that brings it all together in a way that is locally rooted and globally inspiring.”
Kgodumodomo celebrates early BaSotho fossil discoveries
Many consider palaeontology a Western science, but the new dinosaur interpretation centre recognises the valuable contributions of local communities. For centuries, the BaSotho people in the Golden Gate region have discovered fossils and footprints of ancient creatures.
Therefore, the BaSotho felt these relics could only belong to a mythical beast, whom they called “Kgodumodomo”, and the creature features in BaSotho mythology. The new tourist centre’s name, therefore, pays tribute to the local community.