Art & Justice tours at the Constitutional Court
About our tours
The Constitutional Court Art Collection (CCAC) presents a series of theme-focused Art & Justice public tours that engage the collection through carefully developed curatorial lenses. These tours foreground the Court’s distinctive position at the intersection of art, constitutional law, and public memory, offering sustained reflection on the values that underpin South Africa’s democracy.
Situated within the historic precinct of Constitution Hill, the collection forms part of a living institutional space where law, architecture, and visual culture operate together. Rather than offering a general overview alone, each tour highlights a focused theme, including human rights and artistic witness; freedom and embodied politics; labour, gender, and economic justice; youth activism and intergenerational memory; materiality and survival; women-led resistance; contested heritage and historical absence; land, dispossession, and spatial justice; and the future of constitutional values, creating opportunities for deeper engagement and sustained dialogue.
Through close looking and facilitated discussion, visitors are invited to consider how artists contribute to ongoing conversations about rights, justice, and belonging in a constitutional society.
Tours are presented by members of the curatorial team and are typically held on the last Saturday of each month, from 09:30 to 11:15.
Scope of the Tour
The tour focuses specifically on the CCAC and includes:
Artworks currently on display in the public gallery (rotated biannually)
Integrated and site-responsive works located in and around the Court building
Curatorial insights into the development and stewardship of the collection
Contextual framing of the relationship between art and constitutional values
Please note: this tour focuses exclusively on the CCAC and does not include a guided tour of the broader Constitution Hill site. Tours of Constitution Hill must be booked directly through their official website.
The tours are presented free of charge, although online donations to the CCAC Endowment Fund are encouraged and appreciated. A maximum of 15 people can be accommodated on each tour. Bookings are essential and are allocated on a first come, first served basis.
Visitor Information
Tours commence at the main entrance of the Constitutional Court,
1 Hospital Street, Constitution Hill, Braamfontein.
Underground parking is available within the Constitution Hill precinct. The Court is generally wheelchair accessible. Visitors requiring accessibility assistance are encouraged to contact us in advance.
In addition to the monthly public programme, the CCAC offers a limited number of educational and group tours on a quarterly basis. These are scheduled on workdays and are limited to the public areas of the Constitutional Court.
Please direct all booking requests to ccac@concourttrust.org.za.
For queries, contact:
+27 (0)11 359 7577 (office) or
+27 (0)81 636 4420 (alternate mobile and WhatsApp).
Bookings are now open for the following 2026 tour dates:
28 February – Introduction to the CCAC: Art, the Constitution, and Public Memory
28 March (Human Rights Month) – Artists as Witnesses: Practice-Based Responses to Injustice and Resistance
25 April (Freedom Month) – Freedom, the Body, and the Law: Performance, Protest, and Embodied Politics
30 May (Workers’ Month) – Labour, Gender, and Justice: Feminist and Working-Class Perspectives
27 June (Youth Month) – Youth, Education, and Activism: Intergenerational Memory and Change
25 July – Materiality and Meaning: Medium, Process, and Survival
29 August (Women’s Month) – Women, Gender, and Justice: Feminist and Women-Led Resistance
26 September (Heritage Month) – Archives and Absences: Memory, Heritage, and Contestation
31 October – Land, Space, and Power: Dispossession, Restitution, and Belonging
28 November – Reflections and Futures: Constitutional Values and Imagining Justice Ahead
Can’t make it in person? Step inside the Constitutional Court Art Collection from anywhere! Explore our 3D virtual tours of the public exhibition spaces here, and experience the artworks and architecture at your own pace.
NOTE: The Constitutional Court is open 7 days a week and self-guided tours of the art on public display, aided by ample signage, can be done at any time during business hours. There is no charge to enter the Constitutional Court nor are any bookings required for self-guided visits.
About donations
The Constitutional Court Trust (CCT), custodian of the CCAC, is dependent on donor funding to care for the more than 600 artworks in its custody - all for the benefit of the public. To avoid conflicts of interest, the CCT can, however, only receive funding from individuals or organisations that have little or no prospect of litigating before the Constitutional Court. We have therefore partnered with The Foundation for Society, Law and Art in South Africa, a US based non-profit organisation, to receive anonymous donations to our endowment fund.
Make an online donation towards our work of preserving and presenting the CCAC here.
Testimonials
“Surely no other court precinct in the world celebrates the history and creative talent of its people like our Constitutional Court, which crafts the past into the fabric of the building even as it looks to the future. The dedication and passion of our guides enhanced our enjoyment and appreciation. It’s a vibrant and exciting space which every South African should have the opportunity to experience.”
“The Art and Justice tour at the Constitutional Court is a standout cultural experience in Johannesburg. The court’s premises and art collection are aesthetically impressive and serve as profound expressions of justice and human rights. The tour guides provided insightful explanations of the symbolism behind the Court’s architecture and the curated art pieces. This tour showcases high-quality works by renowned South African and international artists and prompts deeper reflection on the role of law and courts in safeguarding human rights. A must-visit for anyone interested in art, justice, or both.”
“...it is the most vibrant collection I have seen in any courthouse in the world.”
“Recently, I had the pleasure of visiting the Constitutional Court. If one were going only to see the art, it would be worth the trip. If one were going only to see the Court, it would be worth the trip. But seeing both, and learning how meticulously the two have been melded together to reflect the values embedded in the South African Constitution was, quite simply, extraordinary and moving. No visitor to Johannesburg should miss this experience.”
“[Our] students were taken on a behind-the-scenes curatorial tour of the Constitutional Court, which preserves the ‘architecture of brutality’ and, at the same time, aspires towards South Africa’s rebuilding on a stronger democratic foundation through adaptive reuse. They were able to develop a greater understanding of identity politics, social justice, and human rights through art."