Museums in South Africa
53 museums in South Africa.
Top museums in South Africa
Apartheid Museum
History museum
Visitors to the Apartheid Museum are randomly classified as either white or non-white at the door and directed to enter through the designated entrance. This opening experience introduces a museum...
Cape Town Holocaust Centre
Memorial museum
Founded in 1999 as Africa's first Holocaust centre, the Cape Town Holocaust Centre, now known as the Cape Town Holocaust & Genocide Centre, teaches the history of the Holocaust within a South African...
District Six Museum
A large map of District Six covers the floor of this museum, marked with handwritten notes from former inhabitants showing where their houses once stood. Founded in 1994, the museum occupies an old...
Heart of Cape Town Museum
The world's first human heart transplant took place in Groote Schuur Hospital, and the Heart of Cape Town Museum occupies that same hospital on Main Road in the Observatory suburb. The surgeon was...
Iziko South African Museum
Discover the wonders of the natural world and rich cultural heritage at the Iziko South African Museum, a premier destination for curious minds and history enthusiasts alike. Nestled in the vibrant...
James Hall Transport Museum
Transport museum
As the largest transport museum in Africa, the James Hall Museum of Transport sets out to preserve and promote hundreds of years of transport history, focusing on South Africa and on the continent...
Johannesburg Holocaust and Genocide Centre
Memorial museum
The Johannesburg Holocaust and Genocide Centre examines the history of genocide in the 20th century through two case studies: the Holocaust and the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda. Its...
Johannesburg Zoo
Zoo or aquarium
Around 2,000 animals of some 320 species live across the 55 hectares (about 140 acres) of the Johannesburg Zoo, often called the Joburg Zoo. Its stated purpose is the care of wild animals, covering...
Koopmans-de Wet House
Historic house, palace or castle
The oldest house museum in South Africa, Koopmans-de Wet House is a former residence on Strand Street in Cape Town, built in the Neoclassical style. The house became part of the South African Museum...
MTN Sciencentre
Science and technology museum
A giant Ericsson cell phone belonging to the Cape Town Science Centre is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest working cell phone. The not-for-profit science centre in...
Slave Lodge
Built to house enslaved people, the Slave Lodge is one of the oldest buildings in Cape Town, with a history stretching back more than three centuries. It is designated a provincial heritage site....
South African Airways Museum Society
Transport museum
Two Boeing 747s, donated in 2004 and 2006, are among the static display aircraft at the South African Airways Museum Society, an aviation museum at Rand Airport in Germiston, Gauteng. Their interiors...
South African Jewish Museum
Tracing South African Jewry back to its roots in Lithuania and elsewhere, the South African Jewish Museum tells the story of the community's life, history and identity. Its displays follow that story...
South African National Gallery
Art museum
As South Africa's national art gallery, the Iziko South African National Gallery in Cape Town holds an authoritative collection of sculpture and beadwork alongside contemporary art selected from many...
South African National Museum of Military History
Military museum
Opened by Prime Minister Jan Smuts on 29 August 1947, the South African National Museum of Military History in Johannesburg was founded to preserve the history of South Africa's part in the Second...
Website of South African National Museum of Military History
Waterworks Museum
A restored narrow gauge steam locomotive, the original engine that hauled equipment up from the old cableway at Kasteelspoort, is the centrepiece of the Waterworks Museum. It stands high on the...
World of Birds Wildlife Sanctuary and Monkey Park
Zoo or aquarium
The largest bird park in Africa, World of Birds Wildlife Sanctuary and Monkey Park also ranks among the bird parks with the most species anywhere in the world. Usually shortened to World of Birds, it...
Website of World of Birds Wildlife Sanctuary and Monkey Park
Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa
Art museum
Nestled in the vibrant heart of Cape Town, the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) stands as a beacon of creativity and cultural dialogue. Housed in a beautifully transformed...
Museums by city in South Africa
South Africa’s museums reflect a country shaped by deep history, cultural diversity, and political change. In Johannesburg, the Apartheid Museum offers essential context for understanding the 20th century, while Bloemfontein’s Anglo-Boer War Museum examines conflict and memory in the Free State. Along the coast, places like the Bartolomeu Dias Museum Complex in Mossel Bay connect local history with seafaring routes and early encounters at the southern tip of Africa.
The museum landscape also stretches well beyond the major metros. In Makhanda, the Albany Museum and Amazwi South African Museum of Literature explore natural history, archaeology, and the country’s literary traditions. Cape Town adds important sites such as the Cape Town Holocaust Centre, where global history is presented through a South African lens. Across provinces, visitors will find museums focused on language, migration, wildlife, community history, and regional identity.
Mooseum helps visitors make sense of this range by bringing South Africa’s museums together in one place, with digital tours and indoor maps that are especially useful when planning multi-stop days in cities or navigating larger museum complexes. Whether you are interested in political history, indigenous heritage, maritime collections, or family-friendly animal and science displays, the platform makes it easier to discover museums that match your route and interests.
Map of museums in South Africa
Museums in South Africa: questions
- How many museums are there in South Africa?
- Mooseum lists 53 museums in South Africa. Cape Town has the most, with 13.
- Which cities in South Africa have the most museums?
- Cape Town (13), Johannesburg (11) and Pretoria (7).
- What kinds of museums are in South Africa?
- Of the 33 whose type we know, the most common are art museums (7), zoos and aquariums (7), history museums (6) and military museums (4).
- Strong representation of 20th-century political history, especially around apartheid, resistance, and reconciliation in Johannesburg and Cape Town
- Regional museums in the Eastern Cape and Free State that combine archaeology, natural history, settler history, and local community stories
- Literary and language-focused collections, including museums dedicated to South African writing and multilingual cultural heritage
- Maritime and exploration heritage along the coast, particularly in towns such as Mossel Bay with links to shipping and early ocean routes
- A mix of traditional museums and wildlife-focused attractions, reflecting South Africa’s close connection to biodiversity and conservation
- Museum hours can vary by season and by city, and many close earlier than expected on weekends or public holidays, so check ahead on Mooseum or the museum’s own site.
- In larger cities such as Johannesburg and Cape Town, plan transport in advance; driving or ride-hailing is often the simplest way to link several museums in one day.
- Some major museums offer timed entry, guided tours, or school-group-heavy morning slots, so booking ahead can make for a quieter visit.
- Summer rains in Gauteng and winter weather in the Cape can affect travel plans, so leave extra time between museum stops if you are visiting multiple sites.
All museums in South Africa
Every museum in South Africa listed on Mooseum. Search by name or type.
| Name | Type | Website | Links | Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
History museum | www.am.org.za |  | — | |
— | www.ru.ac.za/static/institutes/nelm | | — | |
Military museum | www.anglo-boer.co.za | | — | |
Apartheid MuseumVisitors to the Apartheid Museum are randomly classified as either white or non-white at the door and directed to enter through the designated entrance. This opening experience introduces a museum... | History museum | www.apartheidmuseum.org | | — |
— | www.diasmuseum.co.za | | — | |
Zoo or aquarium | www.birdsofeden.co.za | | — | |
Zoo or aquarium | www.cango.co.za | | — | |
Cape Town Holocaust CentreFounded in 1999 as Africa's first Holocaust centre, the Cape Town Holocaust Centre, now known as the Cape Town Holocaust & Genocide Centre, teaches the history of the Holocaust within a South African... | Memorial museum | www.ctholocaust.co.za/cape-town/cape_town-main.htm | | — |
— | www.ceresmuseum.co.za | | — | |
District Six MuseumA large map of District Six covers the floor of this museum, marked with handwritten notes from former inhabitants showing where their houses once stood. Founded in 1994, the museum occupies an old... | — | www.districtsix.co.selina | | — |
History museum | www.nfi.org.za/NCHM/nchmindex.htm | | — | |
Natural history museum | www.ditsong.org.za | | — | |
— | www.drostdy.com | | — | |
— | www.elmuseum.za.org | | — | |
— | sophiatown.net | | — | |
Military museum | www.museumsofkzn.co.za/fort%20amiel.html | | — | |
Transport museum | www.fmm.co.za | | — | |
Military museum | www.freedompark.co.za | | — | |
Art museum | www.gallerymomo.com | | — | |
Heart of Cape Town MuseumThe world's first human heart transplant took place in Groote Schuur Hospital, and the Heart of Cape Town Museum occupies that same hospital on Main Road in the Observatory suburb. The surgeon was... | — | www.heartofcapetown.co.za | | — |
— | www.museum.co.za | | — | |
— | iziko.org.za | | — | |
Iziko South African MuseumDiscover the wonders of the natural world and rich cultural heritage at the Iziko South African Museum, a premier destination for curious minds and history enthusiasts alike. Nestled in the vibrant... | — | www.iziko.org.za | | — |
James Hall Transport MuseumAs the largest transport museum in Africa, the James Hall Museum of Transport sets out to preserve and promote hundreds of years of transport history, focusing on South Africa and on the continent... | Transport museum | www.jhmt.org.za | | — |
Johannesburg Holocaust and Genocide CentreThe Johannesburg Holocaust and Genocide Centre examines the history of genocide in the 20th century through two case studies: the Holocaust and the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda. Its... | Memorial museum | www.jhbholocaust.co.za | | — |