Museum sights in South Africa
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Sacks Futeran Building
For many generations the Futeran family traded soft goods and textiles from these premises and before that part of the building was the Buitenkant Congregational Church. It now houses an annexe of the District Six Museum displaying the excellent Fields of Play exhibition on the history and development of soccer on the Cape. This temporary exhibition should be on display until and after the World Cup in 2010.
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B
Robben Island
Despite recent problems, Robben Island justly remains one of Cape Town’s most popular attractions. Used as a prison from the early days of the VOC right up until 1996, this UN World Heritage Site is preserved as a memorial to those such as Nelson Mandela who spent many years incarcerated here.
While we heartily recommend going to Robben Island, a visit here is not without its drawbacks. The first hurdle is getting a ticket – in peak times these often sell out days in advance. Reserve well in advance via the web, and if you’re stuck, try booking a ticket in conjunction with a township tour – many tour operators have access to blocks of tickets not available to the…
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Elephant Hall Museum
The Elephant Hall museum at Letaba Rest Camp focuses on the elephant and includes mounted tusks of the big bulls (Mafunyane, Dzombo, Shingwedzi and Shawu) that have died in the park. There are sections on poaching, the illegal ivory trade, geomorphology and biology, plus descriptions of elephant habits.
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Pretoria Art Museum
To get an idea of the cultural influences that have influenced modern South Africa, head to this art museum, which is just off Schoeman St and specialises in South African art from throughout the country’s history. It also features regularly changing exhibitions.
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D
Cape Town Holocaust Centre
This small museum, in the same complex of buildings as the South African Jewish Museum, packs a lot in with a considerable emotional punch. The history of anti-Semitism is set in a South African context with parallels drawn to the local struggle for freedom.
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E
Cape Medical Museum
The Disease and History exhibit at this quirky museum details in length (with some gruesome photographs) the history of major diseases in the Cape, from scurvy to HIV/AIDS. Less horrific are a re-created Victorian doctor’s room and pharmacy.
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F
Constitution Hill
Inspiring Constitution Hill is one of the city’s most important attractions. It sits at the edge of Hillbrow, and with any luck the court and surrounding developments will help reverse the suburb’s fortunes.
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G
Sugar Terminal
Maydon Wharf, which runs along the southwestern side of the harbour and south of Margaret Mncadi Ave, contains the Sugar Terminal, which offers an insight into the former importance of the sugar trade.
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Natural Science Museum
The Natural Science Museum boasts an impressive display of stuffed birds and insects, plus African animals. Check out the cockroach and dung beetle displays, the reconstructed dodo and the life-sized dinosaur model.
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Port Natal Maritime Museum
The Port Natal Maritime Museum is on a service road running parallel to Margaret Mncadi Ave. You can explore two former steam tugs and see the huge wicker basket once used for hoisting passengers onto ocean liners.
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Hout Bay Museum
There’s little to detain you at this one-room museum next to the tourist office, with minor-league displays on local history. Contact the museum about the guided walks (R10 donation) that are sometimes run on the weekends.
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Sci-Bono Discovery Centre
In the Electric Workshop building, you’ll find the Sci-Bono Discovery Centre. This kid-friendly centre includes a science museum and is a hands-on, interactive learning experience.
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Anglo-Boer War Museum
Behind the National Women’s Memorial, the Anglo-Boer War Museum has some interesting displays, including photos from concentration camps set up not only in South Africa, but also in Bermuda, India and Portugal. Apart from a few modern touches this museum remains untouched from its inception. The large paintings depicting battle scenes are striking. If you’re interested in this chapter of SA history you could easily spend a couple of hours here.
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Natal Museum
The Natal Museum features a range of displays reflecting a diversity of cultures, including settler history, war records and stuffed birds, marine life and African mammals.
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National Museum
A great re-creation of a 19th-century street, complete with sound effects, is the most interesting display at this museum. There is also a shop and a cafe here.
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South African Naval Museum
Definitely one for naval enthusiasts, this museum nonetheless has plenty of interesting exhibits, including a mock submarine, which let you play out adventure fantasies.
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Macrorie House Museum
At Macrorie House Museum you’ll find furniture and items of the early British settlers, and plenty of documented ghosts!
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Comrades House Museum
Comrades House Museum is packed with memorabilia from the Comrades Marathon. Connaught Rd is off Durban Rd, an extension of Commercial Rd.
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Bernberg Fashion Museum
Women’s fashions from the last couple of centuries are on display at the Bernberg Fashion Museum.
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Time-Warp Surf Museum
Upstairs from Surf Zone, you'll find the Time-Warp Surf Museum, which is packed with surfie memorabilia.
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Municipal Library
The municipal library is in the City Hall complex.
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Hector Pieterson Museum
This powerful museum illuminates the role of Sowetan life in the history of the independence struggle. It follows the tragic incidents of 16 June 1976, when a peaceful student protest against the introduction of Afrikaans as a language of instruction was violently quelled by police. In the resulting chaos police opened fire and a 13-year-old boy, Hector Pieterson, was shot dead. The ensuing hours and days saw students fight running battles with the security forces in what would become known as the Soweto uprising. On the first day alone, close to 200 teenage protesters were killed.
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S
Dias Museum Complex
This excellent museum includes the spring where Dias watered the postal tree, the 1786 Dutch East India Company (Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie; VOC) granary, a shell museum (with some interesting aquarium tanks) and a local history museum.
The highlight of the complex is the replica of the caravel that Dias used on his 1488 voyage of discovery. Its small size brings home the extraordinary skill and courage of the early explorers. The replica was built in Portugal and sailed to Mossel Bay in 1988 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Dias’ trip. Boarding the caravel costs an extra R20.
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IZiko South African Museum
Although there has been some reorganisation in recent years, and a few new exhibits, in general South Africa’s oldest museum is showing its age. Despite not being a must-see, it does contain a wide and often intriguing series of exhibitions, many on the country’s natural history. The best galleries are the newest, showcasing the art and culture of the area’s first peoples, the Khoekhoen (Khoikhoi) and San, and including the famous Linton Panel, an amazing example of San rock art. There’s an extraordinary delicacy to the paintings, particularly the ones of graceful elands. Also worth looking out for are the startlingly lifelike displays in the African Cultures Gallery of…
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U
Robben Island & Nelson Mandela Gateway
Used as a prison from the early days of the VOC right up until 1996, this UN World Heritage Site is preserved as a memorial to those such as Nelson Mandela who spent many years incarcerated here.
While we heartily recommend going to Robben Island, a visit here is not without its drawbacks. The first hurdle is getting a ticket – in peak times these often sell out days in advance. Reserve well in advance via the web, or book a ticket in conjunction with a township tour – many tour operators have access to blocks of tickets not available to the public. The packed guided tour allows a maximum of two hours on the island (plus a 30-minute boat ride in both directions). One of…
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