Museums are not always dull collections of moulding natural history specimens. Our selection conveys a lively cross section of Cape life over the past 400 years. A really great way to get your bearings on local culture. Of course, if natural is what you're after, the SA Museum will not disappoint - it has a life size whale skeleton on display in a space eerie with whale song.

1. Bo-Kaap Museum

A visit to this small but engaging museum provides an insight into the diversity of the inhabitants of the Cape. The museum portrays the lifestyle of a prosperous, 19th-century Cape Muslim family. It is the last remnant of Walendorp, an early residential area, which later became known as the Bo-Kaap.  Many of the Muslim Bo-Kaap residents are descendants of the slaves imported from the Indian subcontinent, Indonesia and Malaysia (hence the term, Cape Malays).

The museum is situated in a restored house (the oldest in the area - built in 1763) and is surrounded by other brightly painted examples of early urban Cape Dutch architecture.

The exhibits tell the stories of the local community and display aspects of their beliefs and material culture.

The museum is open Monday to Saturday 09:30 -16:30 but is closed on Sundays, Eid holidays, Good Friday and 2 January.

71 Wale Street, Cape Town
phone: +27 21 481 3939
website: www.museums.org.za/bokaap

2. The Castle of Good Hope

Experience a rich blend of history, art, traditional food and wine, military ceremonies and craftsmanship at the oldest building in South Africa. Built between 1666 and 1679 by the Dutch East India Company, this five-pointed stone castle served as both a fortification and a maritime replenishment station and remains the best-preserved fortification of its kind built by the Dutch East India Company.
Join one of the many-guided tours and experience some of the traditional ceremonies, which take place during weekdays.And, for the brave hearted, journey into the notorious dungeon.

The Castle is open Monday - Sunday 09:00 - 16:00, but is closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Guided tours are conducted Monday - Saturday at 11:00, 12:00 and 14:00.

Corner of Darling and Castle Streets, Cape Town.
phone: +27 21 787 1249
website: www.castleofgoodhope.co.za

3. District Six Museum

Don't miss a visit to the unique District Six Museum - a memorial to the triumph of the human spirit over extreme adversity. This remarkable museum poignantly illustrates the devastating effect of apartheid.

It immortalises the memories and experiences of the 60 000 people who watched as their houses were flattened by bulldozers before being forcibly removed to barren outlying areas. Different interpretations of the past are facilitated through the museum's collections, exhibitions and education programmes. The museum is committed to the reconstitution of the community of District Six and Cape Town by drawing on a heritage of non-racialism, non-sexism, anti-class discrimination and the encouragement of debate.

The museum is open on Monday from 09:00 - 15:00 and on Tuesday - Saturday from 09:00 -16:00. It is closed on Christmas Day, New Year and Good Friday.

25A Buitenkant Street, Cape Town
phone: +27 21 461 8745
email: info@districtsix.co.za.
website: www.districtsix.co.za

4. The Gold Museum

This unique living museum displays thousands of years of legend, ritual and craftsmanship in the world's most comprehensive collection of gold objects and artefacts from the gold-rich kingdoms of Africa.

Situated in an elegantly restored colonial home, this landmark houses temporary exhibitions, a museum shop, presentation suite, wine cellar and a state of the art goldsmith's workshop.

The museum offers a selection of tours, including the Pangolin Night Tour - enjoy a glass of wine sprinkled with gold leaf while experiencing the mysterious nocturnal world of African gold and pangolins captured in the flash of torchlight.

The Museum is open Monday - Saturday 10:00 - 17:00

Martin Melck House, 96 Strand Street, Cape Town.
phone: +27 21 405 1540
email: info@goldofafrica.com
website: www.goldofafrica.com

5. The South African Museum

The South African Museum provides a fascinating window on the world of natural history, showcasing the bounty of nature, both present and past. Gain an insight into the pre-colonial Cape and discover African art, rock paintings and archaeology.

Exhibitions and dioramas display hundreds of different species, including the only specimen in Africa of the extinct quagga. In the popular Discovery Room, children can discover nature by touch, feel and interaction.

Be stimulated and inspired by its collections and leave with a better understanding of the earth and its biological and cultural diversity.

The museum is open Monday to Sundays 10:00 - 17:00, but is closed on Christmas Day and Good Friday

25 Queen Victoria Street, Gardens
phone: +27 21 481 3800
website: www.museums.org.za/sam