Iziko Museums of South Africa

Iziko Museums of South Africa is a group of national museums in Cape Town, including the South African Museum, National Gallery, and Slave Lodge, showcasing diverse cultural and natural heritage.

Planning your visit

Iziko is not a single museum but a group of national institutions across Cape Town under one organisation and, usually, one combined ticket. The three principal sites cover very different ground.

The South African Museum, in the Company's Garden, holds natural history and archaeology, including the whale well with its suspended skeletons, and significant collections of San rock art. Its Bushman dioramas, casts made from living people in the early twentieth century, were removed from display in 2001 after long controversy about their ethics — a debate the institution now addresses directly.

The National Gallery covers South African and international art, with strong contemporary holdings.

The Slave Lodge is the most affecting. Built in 1679 to house people enslaved by the Dutch East India Company, it is one of the oldest buildings in the country, and its exhibitions cover slavery at the Cape — a history often overshadowed by apartheid but foundational to it.

Allow a full day for all three. Bookable options combine Iziko sites with Robben Island. Current availability is listed below.