The Da Vinci Exhibition Cape Town, March 2014

face of da vinci in half circle on notice boardGirls, if you made your man watch Perfect Pitch last weekend then you definitely owe him one! And I have the perfect offering. The Da Vinci Exhibition Cape Town at the V&A Waterfront might not sound like the kind of thing a guy would like but, trust me, he will.

We went down to the V&A as I love Leonardo Da Vinci’s art works. Expecting a focus on his art, I was surprised when the exhibition was more about his inventions! I knew he’d been responsible for dreaming up the helicopter and scissors but wasn’t too familiar with the extent of his work. He truly has designed some of our most vital mechanical features such as ball bearing and weight dependent lifting devices. I don’t want to go so far as to say the crane, but almost!

I enjoyed the exhibition as there was a touch of art but mainly because it is set in the V&A Clock Tower section in the Chavonnes Battery Museum (next to Mojo) which is just the most extraordinary space. The exhibition space is filled with old walls of a Dutch fort that was buried for 140 years! It was the most unexpected venue but it contributed greatly to the feeling and mood of the exhibition. I want to go back there just for the fun of the space!

Wooden framed helicopter design with white materialDa Vinci – The Genius hosts numerous working examples of his inventions which were really fun to try out. Intellectually one can understand what he created but testing out the systems and seeing how they literally work was fun, interesting and gave me a greater sense of appreciation for his inventiveness. I said to my partner, “How does one even think of something that’s never been thought of before?” He replied, “Well you start with a problem and then try to find the solution.” Duh. Clearly I’m no Da Vinci, LOL!

blue writing on white wall with finger pointing inwardsThe Da Vinci exhibition has been extended until the 23rd of March and is a must do! Pop down there with a man friend. Not only will you enjoy taking in something less cutesy, you will be happy that you’ve been a great date to your partners. Guys always do what the girls want, give them a turn. It’s really worth your while, entertaining and interesting. We only took about an hour or so, but you can be longer/quicker depending on your interest.

The Da Vinci exhibition is on at the Chavonne Battery Museum in the Clock Tower Presinct at the V&A Waterfront. It’s open daily from 9am – 9pm however LAST ENTRY is at 7:30pm.

Pls note it will be closed tomorrow (20th Feb) for the Da Vinci – After Dark exhibition.

Ticket prices:

  • Adults: R140
  • Student: R110
  • Child: R90
  • Under 5: Free
  • Family Package (2xadults, 2xchildren): R400 for all 4 tickets
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  1. says: Amina Ebrahim

    I really loved this place. If I had the time, I would have stayed there the entire day. I felt like I was in his mind. His artworks was mindblowing, his thirst for knowledge was spectacular and the analyses of the Mona Lisa and last supper was magnificent, the man will always be alive not matter how far in the future. It was such an honour to be there. It was truly the genius of mankind.