National Museum of Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg, commonly referred to as the House of Mandela. It is located in the district of West Street Vilakazi Orlando in Soweto. Nelson Mandela lived in this house at number 8115 on the corner of Vilakazi and Ngakane from 1946 to 1962, not far from the home of another Nobel laureate in the struggle against apartheid - Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu. Vilakazi Street - the only street in the world where there were two Nobel laureates.

Mandela in 1997, donated his house Soweto Heritage Foundation «Soweto Heritage Trust», whose founder he was there for the opening of the museum "History of the struggle against apartheid." A small one-storey red brick house of rectangular shape, a bit like a match-box, built in 1945. On its walls are visible bullet holes and scorch marks left on the front of the bottles exploded Molotov cocktail. Inner rooms of the museum are decorated with original furnishings and personal memorabilia, including photos, sent by Nelson Mandela. Here you can see times world champion, personally presented to Nelson Mandela, African-American professional boxer Ray Shugartoi Leonardo.

In 1999, the House Mandela became the most popular place in Soweto tourists visiting South African peninsula.

Nelson Mandela returned to this house after his release from prison in 1990, despite suggestions from government officials to find another, safer housing. At a rally outside his home in Soweto, his first words were: "I came home in the end! "After 11 days, he gave the house to the museum. He later wrote in his autobiography: "That night I returned with Winnie to my house number 8115 in Orlando West. This house was always in my heart. And when I got out of prison, for me at my house number 8115 I was the epicenter of my world, a place marked Iksom in my life. "

In 2007, the Heritage Foundation Soweto Mandela House closed for repairs. The new visitor center was put into operation after the completion of the restoration work. It was conducted retraining staff and guides, as well as the appointment of a new managing director of the museum. Mandela House in Johannesburg, including the visitor center and small museum was reopened March 19, 2009.

Nelson Mandela National Museum in Johannesburg was declared a National World Heritage List in 1999.