Museums

DELVE INTO THE CITY’S MULTIFACETED HISTORY AND CULTURE

THE AFRIKAANS LANGUAGE MUSEUM AND MONUMENT

MUSEUM: 11 PASTORIE AVENUE, PAARL MONUMENT: GABBEMA DOORDRIFT STREET, PAARL MOUNTAIN, PAARL 021 863 0543, taalmuseum.co.za Erected in 1975, the Taalmonument was designed by architect Jan van Wijk to commemorate 50 years of Afrikaans as an official language separate from Dutch. The museum offers a look into the origins of the language. R40 (monument) and R20 (museum) for adults, R5 for children. Museum open weekdays 8:30 am – 4:45 pm; monument open daily 8 am – 4:45 pm

BO-KAAP MUSEUM*

71 WALE STREET, BO-KAAP 021 481 3938 Restored to represent a 19th-century Muslim household, the museum displays photographic exhibitions documenting the history of the Bo-Kaap community. Take note of the moulded parapet roof, a typical feature of Cape Dutch architecture. R20 for adults, R10 for children. Open Tuesday to Saturday 10 am – 2:30 pm

CAPE TOWN DIAMOND MUSEUM

THE CLOCK TOWER, V&A WATERFRONT 021 421 2488, capetowndiamondmuseum.org Fall in love with diamonds here as you learn about the origins of South Africa’s diamond industry and are introduced to some of the names in this gem’s history. The museum pays homage to the most famous stones while showcasing fine specimens of kimberlite rock that date back billions of years. R100 for adults, free for children under 14. Open daily 9 am – 9 pm

CASTLE OF GOOD HOPE

CNR CASTLE AND DARLING STREETS, CBD 021 461 4673, castleofgoodhope.co.za This is the former headquarters of the Dutch East India Company, now home to the Cape Military Museum. Arrive in time for the firing of the signal cannon, Monday to Saturday at 10 am, 11 am and noon. This is subject to change. R50 for adults, R25 for children aged five to 16. Open daily 9 am – 5 pm DISTRICT SIX MUSEUM

25A BUITENKANT STREET, CBD 021 466 7200, districtsix.co.za District Six was a vibrant community of descendants of freed slaves, merchants, artisans and immigrants. During apartheid, 60 000 people were forcibly removed from the area and their businesses and houses demolished. The District Six Museum pays tribute to the memory of this shattered community. R45 for adults, R15 for children (international visitors), R5 for children (local or from the African continent), R60 for guided tours. Open Tuesday to Thursday 9 am – 2 pm, Fridays 9 am – 1 pm

FRANSCHHOEK MOTOR MUSEUM

L’ORMARINS WINE FARM, R45, FRANSCHHOEK 021 874 9002, fmm.co.za Witness more than 100 years of automotive history with an amazing exhibition of cars, motorbikes and an assortment of motoring memorabilia. The collection rotates, so at the time of your visit, you could see the likes of a 1903 Ford Model A, the latest Ferraris and Alfas, and pretty much everything in between. R80 for adults, R40 for kids. Open weekdays 10 am – 4 pm, weekends 10 am – 3 pm

HEART OF CAPE TOWN MUSEUM

GROOTE SCHUUR HOSPITAL, MAIN ROAD, OBSERVATORY 021 404 1967, heartofcapetown.co.za In a world medical first, South African Dr Christiaan Barnard performed a heart transplant at Groote Schuur Hospital on 3 December 1967. This museum takes you back to that historic night, with a restored operating room and interactive tour. R180 (South African residents), R350 (international visitors), R140 (South African pensioners). Tours daily at 9 am,11 am, 1 pm and 3 pm

KOOPMANS-DE WET HOUSE*

35 STRAND STREET, CBD 021 481 3935 The oldest house museum in SA, this classic 18th-century residence has some of the best pieces of Cape furniture and silver in the country. Marie Koopmansde Wet, the last owner of the house, was known for the good work she did for Boer orphans and widows during the Anglo-Boer War. R20 for adults, R10 for children. Open Thursdays and Fridays 10 am – 2:30 pm

3 MAIN ROAD, NEWLANDS 021 658 7440, newlandsbrewery.co.za We Saffas love our beer – SAB reports that we consume about 3.1 billion litres of the stuff annually. Explore South Africa’s oldest commercial brewery, in Newlands, which still produces our best-loved brews. R100 per tour (includes a tasting and two drinks) on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 10 am, noon and 2 pm (extra tours on Wednesdays at 6 pm) and Fridays at 10 am, noon, 2 pm and 4 pm, Saturdays at 10 am and noon. Booking is essential

ROBBEN ISLAND MUSEUM

NELSON MANDELA GATEWAY, V&A WATERFRONT 021 413 4200, robben-island.org.za Take a ferry from the V&A to the island that was home to Nelson Mandela for almost 20 years. Tours are guided by former inmates who relay tales of being political prisoners during apartheid. R400 for adults, R210 for children (South African residents); R600 for adults, R310 for children (international visitors). Tours depart daily at 9 am, 11 am and 1 pm

SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM AND PLANETARIUM*

25 QUEEN VICTORIA STREET, CBD 021 481 3800/3900 The museum’s extensive collection of fossils, artefacts and zoological specimens provides a record of social and natural history. The adjoining planetarium offers visitors fascinating audiovisual voyages of exploration into outer space. Museum entrance: R30 for adults, R15 for children. Planetarium entrance (includes museum): R60 for adults, R30 for children. Museum and planetarium open Tuesday to Sunday 10 am – 2:30 pm

CNR ADDERLEY AND WALE STREETS, CBD 021 467 7229 You’ll find this former slave lodge of the Dutch East India Company at the lower end of the Company’s Garden. Exhibitions focus on the Cape’s varied heritage in one of the oldest buildings in Cape Town, and pay tribute to the estimated 9 000 slaves who lived here between 1679 and 1811. R30 for adults, R15 for children. Open Tuesday to Saturday 10 am – 2:30 pm

SOUTH AFRICAN NAVAL MUSEUM

NAVAL DOCKYARD, SIMON’S TOWN (ACCESS VIA ST GEORGE’S STREET) 021 787 4686/4635, sanavymuseum.co.za A delight for anyone interested in ships, submarines and the naval history of the Cape, Simon’s Town is a quintessential maritime destination in the Mother City. You can’t miss a stop at Boulders Beach penguin colony before you head home. Free entry. Open daily 9:30 am – 3:30 pm

*Children’s prices for Iziko museums are for ages six to 17. For more info, visit iziko.org.za