South African Naval Museum

Simon's Town & Southern Peninsula

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Principally for naval enthusiasts, this museum nonetheless has plenty of interesting exhibits, including model ships and submarines, uniforms and a life-sized ship's bridge. The museum occupies the buildings of the original Dockyard Magazine (storehouse), built in the mid-18th century.

Ask about touring the SAS Assegaai, a Daphne-class, French-built submarine, which served the South African Navy from 1971 to 2003. It was open as a museum in Simon's Town Naval Dockyard, but has been closed for repairs.

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Nearby Simon's Town & Southern Peninsula attractions

1. Simon’s Town Museum

0.08 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…

2. Just Nuisance Statue

0.27 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. Just Nuisance's Grave

0.32 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…

4. Simon's Town Mosque

0.34 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…

5. Heritage Museum

0.38 MILES

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…

6. Boulders Penguin Colony

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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. Kalk Bay Harbour

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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…

8. Cape Point Ostrich Farm

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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…