Museums

The Iziko South African Museum is the second oldest scientific institute in the country, having been established in 1825 by Lord Charles Somerset. Only the Royal Observatory is older, and was established five years earlier. With nearly two centuries of experience behind them, the SA Museum has become a leading research and educational institute. Visitors will be blown away by the permanent and temporary exhibitions on offer and will be treated to the vast collections of historical artefacts. The natural history collection features marine biology, invertebrates, terrestrial vertebrates, Cenozoic Palaeontology, Karoo Palaeontology and invertebrate Palaeontology, as well as rocks and minerals.

Are you covered in bling from head to toe, or fascinated by the beauty of gold? Then the Gold of Africa Museum in Cape Town is just for you. This unique museum aims to showcase the ancient relationship between gold and our continent; allow your eyes to feast on the 350 gold artefacts from West Africa as well as other parts of Africa. You will be treated to the most intricate and fascinating designs from ancient goldsmiths.

The South African Rugby Museum in Cape Town is a must for sports fans jetting into the Mother City. South Africa is passionate about rugby and our beloved Springboks, who triumphed over the world at the 1995 and 2007 IRB Rugby World Cup tournaments. Just a stone's throw away from the historic Newlands Rugby Stadium, you will now find one of the most extensive collections of rugby memorabilia in South Africa.

If you are tired of regular museums in Cape Town, then you need to head out to Simon's Town and visit the Warrior Toy Museum. Whether you are looking for a blast from the past or just want something that the entire family can enjoy, this is the place for you. Situated in St George's Street, this museum houses a magnificent collection of model trains, cars and other toys from yesteryear. Miniature soldiers are present to keep the peace and also include a full Nazi parade with a saluting Hitler. More relevant to South Africa history is the battalion of toy soldiers attempting to hold off Zulus with spears, as they attack in their legendary ox-head formation.

Run the race to perform the first human heart transplant at the Heart of Cape Town Museum. Here you will find the exciting story of Christiaan Barnard's historical breakthrough which changed the course of medical history as we know it, but the build-up to this was an exciting event that could have gone in many different directions. The actual race to be the first surgeon to perform a human heart transplant started nine years earlier when heart surgery pioneers Norman Shumway and Dick Lower brought a dog's heart back to life after it had stopped and had been kept in saline for an hour. Days later, Barnard completed his first open heart surgery by opening 15-year old Joan Pick's narrowed pulmonary valve.

The South African Air Force Museum in Cape Town provides a visual treat for those with a passion for flying machines. Although there was no interest in preserving aircrafts during the early times, after the World War II, some interest was shown and the official historian of the South African Defence Force put the idea of a War Museum forward in 1941. One was built in Johannesburg the very next year, but it was only in 1973 that the establishment of the South African Air Force Museum was granted so that the country's rich aviation history could be recorded and showcased to the rest of the world.

The Castle of Good Hope has become one of the most popular museums in Cape Town, largely due to the rich history and intriguing stories surrounding this historic site. The Castle of Good Hope was built between 1666 and 1679 by the Dutch East India Company, to be used as a replenishment station, and is the oldest colonial building in South Africa that is still standing. Today the Castle of Good Hope houses the regional headquarters of the South African Army as well as the well known William Fehr Collection and the Castle Military Museum.