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Iziko South African Museum

25 Queen Victoria St, Gardens, Cape Town, 8001, Sudafrica ★★★★☆ 201 views
Katia Morteni
Cape Town
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About Iziko South African Museum

Iziko South African Museum - Cape Town | Secret World Trip Planner

The Iziko South African Museum, home to thousands of interesting artifacts, is a retrophiliac's nirvana. As the national museum of the country, this grand and established space features fossils, stone tools, traditional clothes, and other items, some of which are almost 700 million years old. (The museum has been in the old monumental building since 1897, so it has a deep past itself.) The South African Museum houses more than one and a half million specimens of scientific importance. The collections now range from fossils, which are almost 700-million years old to insects and fish caught last week. There are also stone tools made by people 120 000 years ago, traditional clothes from the last century, and T-shirts printed yesterday. Pick what you're most interested in—fossils? Traditional clothing?—and beeline for that area.

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Suggested itinerary near Iziko South African Museum

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500.000+ travelers worldwide
  1. 🌅
    Morning
    Iziko South African Museum
    📍 Cape Town
  2. ☀️
    Afternoon
    Iziko South African National Gallery
    📍 0.2 km · Cape Town
  3. 🌆
    Evening
    South African Jewish Museum
    📍 0.2 km · Cape Town

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Frequently Asked Questions

The museum houses artifacts spanning nearly 700 million years of history, from ancient fossils to contemporary items like T-shirts printed yesterday. You'll find stone tools made by people 120,000 years ago, traditional clothing from the last century, and everything in between, making it one of the most comprehensive collections of human and natural history.
The museum has been housed in its grand monumental building since 1897, giving it a deep and storied past of its own. As the national museum of South Africa, it occupies this historic building that reflects the country's cultural significance and architectural heritage.
The museum houses more than one and a half million specimens of scientific importance in its extensive collections. These specimens range from fossils and insects to fish and various artifacts, representing both ancient history and recent acquisitions.
The museum recommends identifying your specific interests—whether fossils, traditional clothing, or other exhibits—and heading directly to those areas. With such vast collections spanning different eras and categories, focusing on your interests will help you make the most of your visit.
The museum features a diverse range of artifacts including 700-million-year-old fossils, stone tools crafted 120,000 years ago, traditional clothes, insects, fish specimens, and contemporary items. This retrophiliac's paradise showcases thousands of interesting artifacts that tell the story of South Africa's natural and cultural history.