Dinosaurs return to the Free State: South Africa’s R120 million dinosaur centre

The Kgodumodumo Dinosaur Interpretation Centre, the first of its kind in South Africa, opened to the public on 22 June 2025.

It offers a blend of local fossil discoveries, life-sized dinosaur sculptures, geological wonders, and BaSotho folklore.

Funded through a R120 million grant from the European Union via the National Treasury, the centre marks a significant step in celebrating and preserving South Africa’s rich but often overlooked prehistoric heritage.

“The attraction offers visitors an innovative, creative and quality demonstration of scientific knowledge (paleontological, archaeological and geological), with a broader appreciation of cultural heritage through interactive exhibitions,” said the Department of Tourism (DT).

It is a joint initiative between the DT and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), and was handed over to SANParks to run.

It is built on a site where significant fossil discoveries have been made, including remains of dinosaurs from the Late Triassic period.

Early BaSotho communities discovered fossilised bones and footprints across the area, inspiring myths that still feature in traditional folklore.

In the late 1970s, renowned South African palaeontologist Professor James Kitching discovered seven fossilised dinosaur eggs exposed by road construction in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park.

The eggs belonged to Massospondylus, a long-necked dinosaur that lived around 190 million years ago. These fossils are millions of years older than the more commonly known Jurassic dinosaurs.

Another significant discovery in the park was the fossils of a plant-eating dinosaur, named Ledumahadi mafube, which weighed 12 tonnes.

It was the largest land animal alive on Earth when it lived, nearly 200 million years ago, roughly double the size of a large African elephant.

Professor Jonah Choiniere, palaeontologist from Wits University, described the centre as “more than just a tourist attraction.”

“It is also a dedicated scientific and educational hub created to highlight South Africa’s own dinosaur legacy, often overshadowed by international narratives dominated by American discoveries,” said Choiniere.

The Kgodumodumo Dinosaur Interpretation Centre

BusinessTech toured the Kgodumodumo Centre, meaning “Great Giant” in Sesotho, named after a legendary beast said to roam the mountains and once ate a village.

The centre, overlooking the picturesque Golden Gates landscape, features life-sized dinosaurs, lecture and cinema halls, palaeontological and geological exhibition areas, a coffee/curio shop, and more.

During construction, 113 locals were employed, with 90% receiving on-the-job training. The completed product supports local SMMEs offering crafts, food, and cultural experiences.

Speaking to BusinessTech at the launch, Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille described the Kgodumodumo Centre as one of South Africa’s “successful land claims stories,” where the BaSotho community agreed to land development.

“This facility will be a catalyst for more rural development around it, and that is our next step that we are working on,” she said.

“This is a very deprived area. There is lots of unemployment, especially among young people. This is what we hope to change.”

In 2024, tourism contributed roughly 8.8% to South Africa’s GDP, or about R618.7 billion. The Free State remains one of the country’s least-visited provinces.

De Lille framed the project as an effort to diversify tourism in the country, which is “more than just Table Mountain and safaris.”

Provincial MEC for Finance, Economic Development, and Tourism, Ketso Makume, told BusinessTech that his Department is excited about the facility, which will “help make the Free State a province to go to, not go through.”

He added that the site is expected to contribute to the broader value chain, ultimately developing the local economy.

“The Kgodumodumo Centre is a true depiction of tourism championing inclusive growth and driving South Africa’s determination to build a resilient tourism economy that is shared by all,” said the DT.

King Moremoholo Mopeli of the BaKoena Kingdom said that the centre is “imparting knowledge to the youth because the stories that our elders have been telling are stories that have never been recorded, and this is the first of its kind.”

SANParks CEO Hapiloe Sello described the facility as “breathtaking” and a “game-changer” for Golden Gates.

SANParks is offering free access to the centre to all South African citizens until 30 September 2025.

Launch video of the Kgodumodumo Dinosaur Interpretation Centre

Photos of the Kgodumodumo Dinosaur Interpretation Centre