Iziko Museums

Photo provided by Iziko Museums

The Iziko Museums of Cape Town are an amalgamation of national museums located near the city centre, along what has been dubbed the “Museum Mile”.

Iziko is an isiXhosa word meaning “a hearth” – the traditional centre of the home where families would get together to share oral histories. The Iziko Museums continue in this vein, with 12 museums across three spheres – natural history, social history and arts – coming together to share and celebrate Cape Town’s and South Africa’s heritage.

The natural history collections comprise:

• The Iziko South African Museum
• The Iziko Planetarium

The social history collections comprise:

• The Iziko Rust en Vreugd
• Iziko Koopmans-De Wet
• Iziko at the Castle of Good Hope
• Iziko Groot Constantia
• Iziko Bertram House
• Iziko Bo-Kaap Museum
• The Iziko Slave Lodge 
• The Iziko Maritime Centre
• The Iziko Social History Centre

Comprehensive art collections are displayed at the Iziko South African National Gallery and the Iziko Michaelis Collection at the Old Town House in Greenmarket Square. 

The museums are a great way to explore Cape Town’s rich cultural history, and a major highlight for visitors is the Iziko South African Museum, which has exhibits ranging from almost 700-million-year-old fossils to insects and fish, dinosaurs and wildlife menageries. There are also stone tools dating from 120 000 years ago, traditional clothes from the last century and authentic African beadwork.

If social history is more your style, then a trip to the Iziko Bo-Kaap Museum is not to be missed. Established in 1978, it was initially a depiction of a house and the lifestyle of a 19th-century Muslim family. Today it continues to highlight the history of the Cape Malay and Muslims in Cape Town and includes exhibits of the Bo-Kaap, presented in a national socio-political and cultural context.

The Iziko South African National Gallery is home to an impressive collection of South African, African, British, French, Dutch and Flemish art, with more recent exhibitions focusing on South African history through art. The gallery has permanent collections, which are stored in the archives, while the exhibitions include paintings, modern installations, photography, sculpture, beadwork and architecture, among others.

Most of the museums are open Monday to Sunday from 10h00 to 17h00, but some operate on a slightly different time scale. Admission for 18 years and younger is free and booked school groups also enter at no charge. Prices for adults vary according to the different sites, with admission being free on certain commemorative days.

  • Phone: +27 (0)21 481 3800
  • Alt Phone: Fax: +27 (0)21 481 3993
  • Email: info at iziko dot org dot za
  • Website: http://www.iziko.org.za
  • Physical Address: Iziko Museums
    PO Box 61
    Cape Town 8000

Walking in Cape Town

Many visitors want to explore nature on higher ground as soon as they arrive in Cape Town and with Lion’s Head and Table Mountain beckoning, many do get to experience the local flora and fauna on foot. However, the entire peninsula can be enjoyed by avid walkers. From Blouberg Beach, with its picture perfect views from its sandy shores, to the more adventurous guided Hoerikwaggo Trails along the spine of Table Mountain, visitors have an expanse of ground to cover.

Castle Military Museum

The Castle Military Museum is housed in the oldest building in South Africa, the Castle of Good Hope, which was declared a national monument in 1936.

The Castle Military Museum is a tribute to the brave regiments of the past, providing an insight into the political history of the country and celebrating the rich military history of the Cape. Then Minister of Defence Joe Modise officially opened the Castle Military Museum on August 1, 1995.

South African Rugby Museum

Cape Town sport enthusiasts are lucky enough to live in the city that is home to the South African Rugby Museum. Located just a drop kick away from the Newlands Rugby Stadium in the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town, home of the Stormers, the South African Rugby Museum is a full of tokens, collector’s items, memorabilia and history of one of the country’s most watched sports.

Historic buildings and architecture in Cape Town

As the oldest city in South Africa, Cape Town boasts a number of historical buildings, many of which are still in use today and open to visitors. The city’s architecture is a testament to the many varying influences in South Africa’s unique history.

Art galleries in Cape Town

More than 100 art galleries – as diverse as the colours daubed on an artist’s palette – await discovery in and around Cape Town.

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