Cape Town Museums

Whilst the World Cup matches don’t kick-off till 1.30pm, it gives me time to explore some of Cape Town’s museums, many of which are situated in the city centre.
First up is the Holocaust Museum, located I what only can be described as Kosher Corner, next to the Jewish Museum and the synagogue. Not into the Jewish museum – and at ZAR50 beyond my budget anyways, we wander around the complex, where an elderly women is insistent we check out the synagogue.She is a bit of a yenta (a Yiddish word for a chatterbox), quite knowledgeable and gives us the low-down of this impressive building. Donations only, but wearing of the kipper (the small circular cap) for males is mandatory.

The Holocaust Museum is excellent with a full documented history of the Holocaust as well as analogies made with the years of South African Apartheid. Many of the exhibitions were donated and/or copied from the Yad Washem museum in Jerusalem. Again, entry is by donation only. Opening times for these are 10am – 5pm Sunday to Thursday and 10am – 2pm on Fridays. It is located on 88 Hatfield Street, Gardens.

The complex boasts an excellent sand cheap eatery on site.

Next up is the Iziko South African Museum and Planetarium. Although we don’t enter the planetarium, the South African museum has an excellent collection of interesting stuff. Founded in 1825, it is South Africa’s oldest museum. It endeavours to explore the “relationship between us and the World we live in – our biological and cultural diversity, past and present”. It boasts examples of early rock art, the tribal South Africa, Darwin’s travels to Africa, and plenty of stuffed animals, models of whales, sharks and dinosaurs and bones as well. It is open Tuesdays – Sundays 10am – 5pm. ZAR20 with discounts for OAPs and students costing only ZAR5.

My international student card fails to impress the National Gallery, but the ZAR15 that it costs to enter is so worth it. When so many people are discriminated for so long, their creativity can provide a vital outlet – and none more so than here in South Africa. The art covers a wide cross-section, but undoubtedly the most hard-hitting was coming out of Sharpsville in the early 60s. There are many interesting compositions and installations to be seen. Opening times are the same as the other Iziko galleries.

“African art? Never heard of it” - Pablo Picasso (1920)

Situated on 25A Buitenkant street, the District Six museum commemorates the famous sixth district of Cape Town in 1867.

It soon established itself as a vibrant mixed community of freed slaves, merchants, artisans, labourers and immigrants. Such integration soon became fround upon and in 1901 Africans were forcibly removed from the area. Under the Groups Area Act of 1950, through the policy of apartheid the district was declared a ”White Only” zone. And a further 60,00 people were forcibly removed from their community.

The museum documents the area through newspaper cuttings, photographs and first-hand accounts from residence. How South Africa would love to replicate such integration today!

Opening times are as follows:
Monday 9am - 2pm
Tuesday – Saturday 9am – 4pm
Sundays by appointment only.
Admission is ZAR20 for all adults

Of course the "Big One" is Robbens Island, but tours are booked up for three days plus with World Cup supporters desperate to check it out. I fail to get on the tour and cannot spurge the ZAR200 asked. It is meant to be immense however.