Top Cape Town Museums

Visit the Nelson Mandela Gateway to Robben Island to learn about apartheid and see where Mandela and other activists and politicians were incarcerated during the regime. After lunch (own expense), visit Table Mountain and enjoy free time at Bo-Kaap, a neighborhood known for its colorful houses and Cape Malay culture.

District Six is one of Cape Town most notorious neighborhoods and one of the areas of the city that suffered the most during apartheid. The District Six Museum is an emotional tribute to those who were forcibly removed from their homes in District Six, as well as offering important insight into the apartheid regime. With this prepaid admission ticket, opt to take in the exhibitions independently or join a guided tour, and spend as long as you like inside.

Have an educational Cape Town experience with a difference by visiting the Heart of Cape Town Museum. The museum is dedicated to the world's first successful heart transplant, which took place in Cape Town in 1967. By booking in advance, you can skip the ticket line and arrange to be picked up from around Cape Town CBD.

Immerse yourself in the history of the Jewish community in South Africa with this visit to the South African Jewish Museum. This prepaid admission ticket is good anytime during opening hours, so you can visit at a convenient time according to your vacation schedule. Take in the impressive architecture that connects new and old traditions, visit the connected Cape Town Holocaust Centre, and see the world's finest collection of Netsuke.

Cape Town sits at the intersection of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, making its surrounding waters a unique ecosystem teeming with marine life. Visit the Two Oceans Aquarium with skip-the-line access, where you can see some of the region’s most famous aquatic residents including sharks, yellowfin tuna, Knysna seahorses, the rare hagfish, and much more.

Plan your trip to Cape Town ahead of time by purchasing the Cape Town City Pass, which includes more than 70 of the city's top attractions and experiences. Depending on your schedule and budget, choose from a 2-, 3-, or 5-day pass, all of which come with a pocket guidebook and access to a digital app with maps and information. The pass also includes transportation on the city sightseeing hop-on hop-off tour bus, which makes it easy to get around town.

Discover the best sights of Cape Town from the sky by going for a ride on the Cape Wheel. You won’t waste a moment waiting in long visitor lines as a skip-the-line admission ticket is provided. Once you get in your cabin, it’s comfortable, air-conditioned, safe, and fully enclosed, so you won’t have to worry if you’re traveling with children. Access incredible views of Table Mountain, Robben Islands, and Cape Town city highlights that you wouldn’t see otherwise.

Visit a penguin colony at Boulder’s Beach and the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve all in one day during this tour, including round-trip transport from Cape Town. First, catch sight of the endangered African penguins on the beach, and then travel over to Cape Point in the nature reserve. Spend ample time at Cape Point, and keep an eye out for ostrich, antelope, and whales. You can also take part in an optional hike in the reserve if you choose.

This tour is the perfect way to explore the beauty of the Cape Peninsula as well as local wildlife. Travel around in a small-group tour—an intimate alternative to crowded bus tours. Along the way, see the colorful buildings of Bo-Kaap, and admire the natural beauty of the Cape of Good Hope. The tour also visits the pretty towns of Hout Bay and Kalk Bay, as well as the African Penguin colony at Boulders Beach.

Spend time watching one of the world’s most feared fish on this 4-to-6-hour cage diving experience in Cape Town. Travel to the ocean off the coast of Gansbaai for a full-day tour. Learn about great white sharks from your marine-biologist guide, and then dive into the water in a cage to observe sharks in their natural habitat. Breakfast, snacks and hotel-pick up and drop off are included.

Explore Cape Town at your own pace with a full-day hop-on hop-off bus pass. Journey around four different bus routes, stopping at attractions such as Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, Table Mountain, and the Cape Winelands, and spend as long as you wish at each. Enjoy a city walking tour or upgrade to include a Signal Hill sunset tour and a boat cruise to Seal Island.

Spotting the Big Five—lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and Cape buffalo—is a priority for many visitors to South Africa and this tour is ideal for those with limited time. Travel from Cape Town by upmarket air-conditioned vehicle, enjoying views of the Breede River, Hex River Wine Valley, and Table Mountain along the way, then join a group safari drive at a private game reserve and enjoy some incredible wildlife-watching opportunities.

Relying on local public transport schedules can mean lots of waiting around, so make your time in Cape Town a breeze with this private transfer option. Meet your driver at your preferred pickup point—either Cape Town International Airport or a place in Cape Town city center, then travel comfortably with just your driver, and no ride-sharing.

Get the best possible shot at seeing Africa's Marine Big 5—the African penguin, the Cape fur seal, the great white shark, dolphin, and whale—on this guided tour to Dyer Island. An onboard biologist and experienced crew promise an educational experience focused on learning about the biology and behavior of these marine animals. Additionally, get a chance to visit the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary (APSS) either before or after the trip.

If you’re a thrill seeker at heart, get your adrenaline pumping on this private, full-day tour of Gansbaai from Cape Town, including a 3-hour shark cage-diving experience. Board a boat, and sink to underwater depths in a protected cage to see sharks and even whales swimming in their natural habitat. Afterward, pick your next adventure before heading back to Cape Town. Choose to go to Hermanus, Overberg, or Stoney Point.

Skip the ticketing line and take a shared boat trip to Robben Island Museum and explore the island where Nobel Prize Winner and former South African President Nelson Mandela was held as a political prisoner for 18-years of his 27 years sentence. Secure your Robben Island boat trip and museum tour ticket early to avoid disappointment as this is one of the most popular tourist attractions in South Africa and is likely to sell out in advance. On this tour, you can view the prison cell of Nelson Mandela and learn about the dramatic history of the Maximum Security Prison and South Africa from a former political Robben Island prisoner. Take a historical walk in the footsteps of Nelson Mandela on the Long Walk to Freedom pathway. This is one of the most enlightening historic tours you will experience on your journey to Cape Town, South Africa.

HIGHLIGHTS: Experience the 114 curves and 9km drive of one of the worlds most scenic and majestic drives, Chapman's peak. hope off at one of the majestic picnic places.