Cape Town East City Museum Route

The East City Museum Route takes you on a journey uncovering layers of history and heritage reflecting on our past and present – from pre-colonialism, colonialism, slavery, apartheid, activism and the birth of the ‘rainbow’ nation.

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Take your time as each of the museums along the East City Museum Route has a depth of information that you will want to engage with and enjoy.

IZIKO William Fehr Collection at the Castle of Good Hope

The Castle of Good Hope houses the William Fehr Collection which contains fine and interesting paintings and decorative arts of special relevance to the Cape’s wealth of historical information – especially concerning peoples and landscapes of early colonial South Africa. The collection is exhibited at the
Castle of Good Hope and Rust en Vreugd (see below), both historic buildings.

WHERE: Castle of Good Hope, Darling Street, Cape Town
WHEN: Mon to Sun 09h30 – 16h00 Closed Christmas & New Year’s Day

Cape Heritage Museum (formerly Cape Muslim & Slavery Heritage Museum) at the Castle of Good Hope

The award-winning Cape Heritage Museum preserves, promotes and celebrates the culture and history of South African Muslims and Slave descendants serving as a living record of their contributions to South Africa and a bridge between the remarkable past and the evolving future of the community. A  rare collection in excess of 1500 artworks, artefacts, photographs and relics that narrates an unedited and raw history of South Africa through colonialism, imperialism, slavery, apartheid, gentrification, forced removals, cultural dialogue, religious diversity, political diversity and a full appreciation of what it means to be South African.

WHERE: Castle of Good Hope, Darling Street, Cape Town
WHEN:  as Castle of Good Hope above

Nelson Mandela in Cape Town at the City Hall

Walk in Nelson Mandela’s footsteps as he gave his first speech as a free man to thousands of people on the Grand Parade. The exhibition and education programme chronicles the life of former president Nelson Mandela and his links to Cape Town and celebrates his legacy. Another award winning museum.

WHERE: Cape Town City Hall, 1st Floor, Darling St, Cape Town
WHEN:  Tues to Fri 10h00 – 16h00

Truth to Power Exhibition at The Old Granary

The Truth to Power Exhibition is the first in South Africa to explore the role of the churches in the liberation struggle. It does so through the multifaceted life of global icon, Archbishop Desmond Mpilo Tutu. It is the only in depth exhibition of apartheid and resistance in the Western Cape.

WHERE: The Old Granary, 11 Buitenkant St (Exhibition entrance in Longmarket St), District Six, Cape Town
WHEN: Tues to Sat 09h30 – 15h30

IZIKO Rust en Vreugd in Buitekant Street

Rust en Vreugd was built as a home for Willem Cornelius Boers, a high-ranking official for the VOC (Dutch East India Company), between 1777 and 1778. Today a museum, it showcases a selection of William Fehr’s collection of drawings, watercolours and print art works.

WHERE: 78 Buitenkant Street, Cape Town
WHEN: Sat to Wed

SA Jewish Museum in Hatfield Street

The South African Jewish Museum is a visual interactive and high-tech museum representing the story of the Jews of South Africa, their origins and contributions. The Ali Bacher exhibition has just returned by popular demand. Gift shop and Café Riteve.- a pleasant place to  relax over a coffee or lunch

WHERE: 88 Hatfield St, Gardens, Cape Town
WHEN: Sun to Thurs 10h00 – 17h00 Fri 10h00 – 14h00 Closed Sat and Jewish Holidays Open public holidays

IZIKO South African National Gallery in the Company’s Gardens

Visit the Iziko South African National Gallery for a visual feast of artistic expression spanning diverse genres of historical and contemporary art from Africa and the globe.

The current exhibition is “Breaking Down the Walls” – a reimagining and reassessment of the collection over the Gallery’s 150 year history.

WHERE: Government Avenue, Cape Town
WHEN: Closed: Workers’ Day & Christmas Day

For more information about each of these museums on the East City Museum Route, pick up a copy of the 2023 Arts Crafts + Museums Map.