Museum, a place completely dedicated to showcase interesting yet valuable things, moreover the artifacts that represents our history and culture. Not just that, it is a fantastic place amaze people with preserved primary tangible evidence of humankind and the environment.
These non-profitable places let you discover the service of society through researches, collections, conservations, interpretations and exhibits they display. Museums are specifically built to present culturally and scientifically significant objects to the world.
In Museums, the objects related to history, science or art are kept as a museum of modern art and the Natural History Museum. To commemorate these buildings that preserve our history, a day is dedicated to it and celebrated as International Museum Day on May 18, every year.
Considering this, Love Cape Town has compiled a guide including a collection of a guide to the must-visit museums in the city and celebrated International Museum Day on Sunday, May 18, 2025.
Ever been to a museum? where it felt like that you were stepping into a different era? Guess Cape Town museums are just the perfect ones for the wanderers, that offer a front-row seat to the country’s struggles, stories and the journey to freedom.
Here are some of the pocket friendly Cape Town museums where you can visit in just under R100, let’s find out which!
District Six Museum
The most famous museum of the city is District Six Museum. The place is out of those few areas that are as vivid as an example of the Apartheid regime. It was once racially diverse and vibrant community, where the original residents were forcibly removed from the area when the National Party government declared it as a ‘White Group Area’.
The Museum began taking shape in the late ’80s, just after the powerful Hands-Off District Six conference, which was officially opened in 1994 with its first exhibition called ‘Streets: Retracing District Six’.
However, the museum is more than just a collection of photographs and artefacts, as it is a living tribute to the people who once called it District Six home. The Museum is a permanent exhibition, Digging Deeper, sharing powerful personal stories from former residents, making it a deeply moving stop for both locals and visitors who want to understand the soul of the city.
Castle of Good Hope
Located at Darling Street and Buitenkant Street of Cape Town, Castle of Good Hope is locally known as ‘The Castle’ this bastion fort is considered as the best-preserved example of a 17th century architectural structure in the world.
Bell tower, situated over the main entrance was built in year 1684. The original bell, also known as the oldest in South Africa, was casted in Amsterdam in 1697 and weighs over 300 kgs.
The Castle of Good Hope also acted as the local headquarters for the South African Army in the Western Cape and today houses the Castle Military Museum and ceremonial facilities for the traditional Cape Regiments.
Rust en Vreugd
Rust en Vreugd was built on the outer limits of the city Cape Town back in 1777 for a high-ranking official of the Dutch East India Company. Later in early 1960s, it was restored and converted into a gallery space when William Fehr donated his private collection of works of art on paper considering watercolours, prints and drawings, to the people of South Africa. Visitors here also get to see a part of the collection of the old lost days.
The Iziko South African Museum
Designed right in the middle of the historic Company’s Garden, the Iziko South African Museum is a home to 1.5 million items of cultural and scientific significance. Here people get to see the traditional outfits from the last century.
These are preserved to learn and study more about the fossils and ancient insects, that view stone tools made by the people 120,000 years ago.
Long March to Freedom
Polish your history in the most unique way with the Long March to Freedom, which is an outdoor exhibition that features 100 life-size bronze sculptures of South Africa’s most famous heroes.
Nelson Mandela to Walter Sisulu the museum takes you back in time to the lives of these countless souls and how they each played a role in the country’s 350-year journey to freedom and democracy.
Iziko Bo-Kaap Museum
Bo-Kaap is one of the most visited destinations of the city. Beyond the iconic colourful houses, the area has an incredibly fascinating history. As Many of the residents are descendants of enslaved people from Malaysia, Indonesia and various African countries who were forcibly brought to the city in the 16th and 17th centuries.
The Bo-Kaap Museum is the perfect place to discover the history of the area. Do check out depictions of the life of a typical Malay family.