The Cape Town Museum Route

The Cape Town Museum Route is dominated by museums under the curatorship of Iziko.

Iziko is a Xhosa word, meaning "a hearth". The hearth of a typical African homestead usually occupies the central space - Iziko therefore symbolises the centre South Africa’s diverse culture and heritage.

There are however other museums also to be found in the City and surrounding areas.

Museums of Cape Town Map

View Cape Town Museums in a larger map

Iziko Museums

Bertram House A collection of English porcelain, but also including fine examples of Chinese export porcelain. Also a superb collection of English Furniture.

Koopmans de Wet House This house museum houses some of the best pieces of Cape furniture and silver and a priceless collection of ceramics.

Maritime Centre An overview of shipping in Cape Town, the earliest existing model of Table Bay harbour completed in 1885 by prisoners and warders of Breakwater Prison.

Michaelis Collection A world-renowned selection of Nederlandish art from the seventeenth-century including works by Frans Hals, Jan Steen and Jacob Ruisdal.

National Gallery South Africa's premier art museum housing an outstanding collection of South African, African, British, French, Dutch and Flemish art.

Rust en Vreugd The finest surviving example of eighteenth-century urban architecture housing the art on paper – prints, drawings and watercolours - of the William Fehr Collection.

Slave Lodge The Slave Lodge is a permanent museum of slavery the focus of the exhibits aim to increase awareness on issues such as human rights, equality, peace and justice.

South African Museum This museum is well known for its huge natural science and social history collections.

More Museums

South African Airforce Museum The South African Airforce Museum gives one an insight into the history and traditions of the SAAF.

Cape Medical Museum The Cape Medical Museum reflects medical history with an emphasis on both western and traditional medicine at the Cape.

Chavonnes Battery Museum The Chavonnes Battery Museum celebrates the life, death and re-birth of Cape Town’s 2'nd oldest major fortification.

District Six Museum The District Six Museum works with the memories of forced removals.

Franschhoek Motor Museum View more than 100 years of motoring history. From the 1898 Beeston Motor Tricycle to a 2003 Ferrari Enzo supercar.

Gold of Africa Museum The museum is home to a collection of West African gold artifacts and objects from the ancient civilisations of southern Africa.

Heart of Cape Town The Heart of Cape Town Museum celebrates the drama of the world’s first heart transplant in 1967.

Irma Stern Museum The permanent collection shows Irma Stern's development as an artist showcasing oils, water colours and gouache and charcoal works.

Josephine Mill Museum The Josephine Mill Museum is dedicated to preserve the methods and equipment used it earlier years to grind flour, while the Mill shop sells stone ground flour, freshly baked breads and homemade jams and condiments.

Robben Island Museum Daily tours to Robben Island include a return ferry trip, an island tour and a tour of the prison museum with a former prisoner as your guide.

Rupert Museum The Rupert Museum showcases over 350 works in the unique private art collection of Anton and Huberte Rupert.

Rust en Vrede Art Gallery and clay museum The Clay museum contains a collection of South African ceramics and includes the Oude Meester Collection of Linn ware and ethnic pottery.

Simons Town Museum The Simons Town Museum is housed in "The Residency", which was built in 1777 as the winter residence for the Governor at the Cape. This museum showcases the history of Simons Town and its people.

The South African Jewish Museum The South African Jewish Museum lie in the heart of the Cape Town museum route and provides an engaging account of the South African Jewish history.

Stellenbosch Village Museum Four houses each representing a different period in the architectural development of Stellenbosch. Cape Town Museum

Cape Town Travel Guide

What to do in Cape Town - Sights and sounds of the Mother City

Return to What to do in Cape Town homepage