Museums & Culture

Cape Town’s museums tell many different versions of the city and the wider Cape. Some occupy grand historic buildings in the centre; others grew from communities determined to preserve stories that displacement and apartheid tried to erase. Alongside them are major collections of African art, natural history, science and specialist museums that reach well beyond the familiar story of the colonial city.

Together they make it possible to move between very different perspectives on Cape Town. You can encounter contemporary art, examine the natural world, trace slavery and forced removal, explore Jewish and Muslim heritage, or simply step inside buildings that preserve another layer of the city’s past. Use the featured places below as starting points, then browse the full collection.