With its rich and storied history, Cape Town has a lot to offer visitors. Our world-class museums showcase a glimpse of the city’s past, delving into struggles and the country’s road to freedom.
Here are some of the museums in Cape Town that are worth the visit.
The Iziko South African Museum
Right in the middle of the historic Company’s Garden, the Iziko South African Museum is home to 1,5 million items of cultural and scientific significance. You’ll see traditional outfits from the last century, learn more about fossils and ancient insects, and view stone tools made by people 120,000 years ago.
Location: 25 Queen Victoria Street, Gardens, Cape Town.
Price: R80.
Website: Find out more here.
Iziko Slave Lodge
The Iziko Slave Lodge is a powerful reminder of the hardships enslaved people once faced in South Africa. As one of Cape Town’s oldest buildings and a place where slaves once called home, it holds centuries of deeply rooted history.. Today, the museum explores the long and painful legacy of slavery through thought-provoking exhibitions, alongside temporary displays that put a spotlight on human rights awareness. Upstairs, the tone shifts slightly with fascinating collections of ceramics, silverware, and even ancient Egyptian artefacts.
Location: Corner Adderley Street and Wale Street, Cape Town.
Price: R80.
Website: Discover more about the museum.
District Six Museum
Few areas are as vivid an example of the Apartheid regime as District Six. A once racially diverse and vibrant community, the original residents were forcibly removed from the area when the National Party government declared it a “white group area”. It started taking shape in the late ’80s, just after the powerful Hands-Off District Six conference and officially opened in 1994 with its first exhibition, Streets: Retracing District Six.
The museum is more than just a collection of photos and artefacts, it’s a living tribute to the people who once called District Six home. Its permanent exhibition, Digging Deeper, shares powerful personal stories from former residents, making it a deeply moving stop for both locals and visitors who want to understand the soul of the city.
Location: 25A Buitenkant Street, District Six, Cape Town.
Price: From R60.
Website: Explore the District Six Museum
Cape Town Museum of Childhood
The Cape Town Museum of Childhood is a playful, interactive space that brings joy, memories, and childhood stories to life for kids and grown-ups alike. As the first museum of its kind in Africa, it offers a unique look at how childhood has been experienced, remembered, and celebrated over time. From toys and games to personal stories and cultural traditions, the museum showcases a fascinating collection of childhood-related exhibitions from across South Africa. Whether you’re visiting with little ones or just young at heart, it’s a feel-good experience that invites curiosity, connection, and conversation.
Location: 3 Milner Road, Rondebosch, Cape Town.
Price: Free.
Website: Find out more here.
Long March to Freedom
Brush up on your history in the most unique way! The Long March to Freedom is an outdoor exhibition featuring 100 life-size bronze sculptures of South Africa’s most famous heroes. From Nelson Mandela to Walter Sisulu, the Long March to Freedom transports you through the lives of these heroes and their role in the country’s 350-year journey.
Location: Century Boulevard, Century City, Cape Town.
Price: Between R20-R75. Children under 6: free.
Website: Take the tour.
Cape Town Holocaust Centre
The Cape Town Holocaust Centre stands alongside the South African Jewish Museum and offers a deeply moving and thoughtfully designed experience. Through powerful stories, photos, film, and interactive displays, the museum takes you through one of history’s darkest chapters, the Holocaust, while also shedding light on other genocides around the world. It’s a space for reflection and learning, with exhibitions that are self-guided, allowing visitors to move through at their own pace. The space encourages understanding, empathy, and remembrance.
Location: 88 Hatfield Street, Cape Town City Centre, Cape Town.
Price: Free.
Website: More information here.
Castle of Good Hope
Locally known as “The Castle,” this bastion fort is considered the best-preserved example of a 17th-century architectural structure in the world. A bell tower, situated over the main entrance, was built in 1684. The original bell, also known as the oldest in South Africa, was cast in Amsterdam in 1697 and weighs just over 300 kilograms.
The Castle also acted as the local headquarters for the South African Army in the Western Cape and today houses the Castle Military Museum and ceremonial facilities for the traditional Cape Regiments.
Location: Darling Street & Buitenkant Street, Cape Town.
Price: R50 for Adults and R25 for children and pensioners.
Website: Explore more.
Iziko Bo-Kaap Museum
Bo-Kaap is one of the city’s most visited destinations. Beyond the iconic colourful houses, the area has an incredibly fascinating history. Many of the residents are descendants of enslaved people from Malaysia, Indonesia and various African countries who were forcibly brought to the city in the 16th and 17th centuries. The Bo-Kaap Museum is the perfect place to discover the history of the area. Be sure to check out depictions of the life of a typical Malay family.
Location: 71 Wale Street, Schotsche Kloof, Cape Town.
Price: R80.
Website: Visit here.
Robben Island Museum
This well-known Cape Town attraction has a very chequered past. It was originally a refreshment station for explorers when the Dutch Settlers were in the Cape. It was later used as a leper colony and animal quarantine station. However, the island is most famous for being a political prison during the apartheid regime. Its most notable prisoner, Nelson Mandela, served 18 years in the island’s prison. Visitors to the island can expect an insightful tour by former political prisoners, which includes a visit to Mandela’s cell and a ferry ride.
Location: Tours depart from The Nelson Mandela Gateway, which is located in the V&A Waterfront, close to the red Clock Tower.
Price: R600 for adults and R310 for children.
Website: www.robben-island.org.za
Warrior Toy Museum
Escape into a childhood dream of toys, models, ships, trucks, aeroplanes and toy soldiers at the Warrior Toy Museum in Simon’s Town. The museum boasts over 4000 model cars, 500 dolls and teddy bears and has a special sale section for those who want to start their own collection.
Location: 1067 King George Way, Simon’s Town, Cape Town
Opening Times: Daily from 10am to 4pm
Price: Various
Website: bit.ly/3W8zshA
Rust en Vreugd
Rust en Vreugd was built on what was then the outer limits of the city in 1777 for a high-ranking official of the Dutch East India Company. In the early 1960s, it was restored and converted into a gallery space when William Fehr donated his private collection of works of art on paper (watercolours, prints and drawings) to the people of South Africa. Visitors will get to see part of the collection.
Location: 78 Buitenkant Street, Cape Town City Centre, Cape Town
Opening Times: Thursdays and Fridays, from 9am to 4pm
Price: R60 (Free entry on commemorative days)
Website: www.iziko.org.za/museums/rust-en-vreugd
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