Da Vinci - The Genius Exhibition

What a privilege to be able to go along to review the Da Vinci - The Genius Exhibition
in Johannesburg. It's on at the cute venue The Amazing Place in Woodmead, which is a great place to exhibit the works of the amazing mind of Leonardo da Vinci. The Amazing Place is large enough to host exhibitions, trade shows and road shows and is intimate enough to host the most lavish weddings and ceremonies.

Furthermore there is a separate conference centre with 8 dedicated conference rooms.



Experience The Genius

200 Sketches, Inventions and Art Works by one of the greatest minds who ever lived. 

Standing outside

Leonardo da Vinci was born in 1452 and died in 1519. Walking through the exhibition I was struck by how far ahead of his time he was. One of the many things he conceptualised was the flight of man. He had designs and prototypes ... imagine having the concept of FLIGHT some 500 years before Orville and Wilbur Wright invented the first aeroplane.

As you walk in to the display, you are greeted by prototypes of designs and it's almost overwhelming to take in that one man could have conceptualised all these things. There is almost every kind of conceivable machine there, not to mention the medical drawings and medical science discoveries, da Vinci's ideal city, concepts behind gears and automation. These are life size, interactive machines, brought to life by Italian artisans.

You can see his codices (notebooks) on display and there is an interactive screen allowing you to 'scroll through' his notes. This provides an unsurpassed insight into the mind of the man. I would really recommend that anyone who who has any influence in the lives of children or students makes sure that they get to see this exhibition.

While we were there a lady was showing her young grandson all these intricacies, and I could almost see interest in science being instilled into him.

How is it that a man so good at science was also so good at art? Normally you are only good at one or the other, and I'm still not sure about that but it is again further proof that this was an incredible man. I actually found myself marvelling at the fact that he didn't go insane. To have such a developed brain at a time when we didn't even have the bicycle and being able to apply and achieve everything that he did - what I would have given to be able to time travel back to his time and be able to spend an hour in his company. The exhibition is as close as we're going to be able to get to doing that.  There are wonderful representations of his works of art including the Mona Lisa, Vitruvian Man, and The Last Supper. The presentation of The Last Supper includes an interactive film explaining many details and intricacies about the medium, the techniques, and the subesquent restorations of this work.

One part of the exhibition mentions that da Vinci may have been inspired by simple toys he played with as a child. This is not to be missed. Take your children and let's see how they are inspired in the future.

The exhibition is running until the 22nd of June, and you can purchase your tickets here.

Have a look at some video here:



Some FAQs pulled from the website include:

Is there a parking fee?

Yes, if you choose to park immediately in front of the exhibition, our landlord charges a R10 fee (this parking lot is monitored at all times by two security guards). Alternatively, you can use the free parking on the road adjacent to the exhibition, which is close by.




Is there wheelchair access/parking?

Yes. There are disabled parking bays at the exhibition door and there is wheelchair access from the parking to the exhibition via the side entrance. Please feel free to ask the security guard for any assistance, or to call one of your exhibition staff to help you.

Do you offer a guided Audio tour?

Yes, we rent out audio guides at the entrance (R40 per audio guide). These guides have been meticulously created to add a whole new dimension to your experience. Listening to the amazing facts and stories behind many of the 200+ exhibits as you walk around the exhibition at your own pace is a great way to get the most out of your experience.

Where can I buy an official programme and DVD?

At the exhibition. They are R150 each, and can be purchased from the retail counter, or at the ticket desk.