Heritage Museum

Simon's Town & Southern Peninsula


Simon’s Town had a 7000-strong community of people of colour before apartheid forcibly removed most of them, mainly to the suburb of Ocean’s View, over on the Atlantic side of the peninsula. This small but interesting museum in Almay House (1858), with a lovely front garden, is dedicated to the evictees and their Islamic culture, which traces its roots to Simon's Town's 18th-century beginnings. The museum is curated by Zainab Davidson, whose family was evicted in 1975.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Simon's Town & Southern Peninsula attractions

1. Simon's Town Mosque

0.1 MILES

This handsome, still functioning mosque was rebuilt in the late 1920s. The original was constructed in 1888, and there also used to be a madrasa (Islamic…

2. Just Nuisance Statue

0.11 MILES

Immortalised in bronze in 1985 by artist Jean Doyle, this famous local canine mascot lived from 1937 to 1944 and is fondly remembered for befriending…

3. South African Naval Museum

0.38 MILES

Principally for naval enthusiasts, this museum nonetheless has plenty of interesting exhibits, including model ships and submarines, uniforms and a life…

4. Simon’s Town Museum

0.44 MILES

This rambling museum traces the history of Simon’s Town, with displays ranging from maritime exhibits to a room dedicated to Just Nuisance, the local…

5. Just Nuisance's Grave

0.59 MILES

The grave of this famous local Great Dane, who was adopted as a navy mascot in WWII, makes for a pleasant (but uphill) walk from the harbour, with good…

6. Boulders Penguin Colony

0.96 MILES

This picturesque area, with enormous boulders dividing small, sandy coves, is home to a colony of some 3000 delightful African penguins. A boardwalk runs…

7. Cape Point Ostrich Farm

4.41 MILES

There’s ostriches aplenty at this family-run farm, restaurant and tourist complex just 500m from Cape Point’s main gate. Regular tours of the breeding…

8. Kalk Bay Harbour

4.47 MILES

This picturesque harbour is best visited in the morning, when the community’s fishing boats pitch up with their daily catch and a lively quayside market…