EXPLORING CAPE TOWN’S AMAZING MUSEUMS
The first signs of human habitation in the Cape date from 12 000 years ago, although recorded history effectively begins in the 17th century with the arrival of white settlers. The Dutch colonisers brought the native San the dubious package deal of European civilisation, Christianity, science and writing as well as the standard colonial features such as taxes, slavery, plague and oppression. The 350 years since then have been turbulent and varied, the best and the worst of times, but it has all contributed to the development of one of Africa’s great cities. Here is a small selection of what Cape Town has to offer visitors.
If you want to start at the beginning, try The South African Museum of Natural History located in the Company Gardens. Specialising in natural and pre-history, the collections pack the huge building with a vast array of exhibits. View 700million year old fossils, including complete dinosaur skeletons at the recently opened first phase of the African Dinosaur Exhibition, or spend hours in the marine exhibits which include a full size Blue Whale skeleton, Shark World, and a life size model of Architeuthis, the Giant Squid. The vast arrays of exhibits devoted to living and once-living creatures, from the primates, to avian evolution, to ocean trench dwelling oddities are all beautifully displayed and highly informative.
Human history gets a look-in as well, with realistic dioramas depicting lifestyles of the nomadic peoples that once dominated the Cape, as well as displays of San rock art and very current displays on indigenous knowledge in the age of copyright.
The sheer volume and variety of exhibits can be overwhelming and there is certainly far too much to see in a single visit, even for hyperactive kids.
Log on to www.iziko.org.za/sam or telephone 021 481 3800 for more information.
While you’re at the South African Museum you might want to catch a show about our southern stars at the Planetarium. Shows catering to children and adults are shown daily. For bookings and schedules log on to www.iziko.org.za/planetarium or telephone 021 481 3900
The Castle of Good Hope is the oldest surviving building in the country and it’s not hard to see why it has managed to weather the centuries. Begun in 1666 as the second major VOC fortification at the Cape. It is a five pointed structure with six foot thick, stone-clad walls and built according to early 17th century Dutch fortification principles. It is a very well preserved building and currently houses a series of art and historical exhibits, notably the Fuer collection of 17th-19th century oil paintings, furniture, ceramics, metal and glassware. There are tours and displays that tell visitors about the highs and lows of early colonial life, the Dutch era and the British occupation. Web www.iziko.org.za/castle or telephone 021 464 1260/4
To see how the other half lived in colonial times, you can visit the Slave Lodge in Adderly st. The Cape was an integral part of the Indian Ocean slave trade almost until the middle of the 19th century and imported human beings from Ceylon, Madegascar and Indonesia among other places. They were transported to the Cape by the VOC, the Dutch East-India Trading Company and exhibits give insight into the lives of these people with multi-media displays and objects from their respective cultures. Visitors can experience the cramped conditions they were transported in with an installation replicating the cargo hold of a slave trading ship.
Current collections at the museum include early 20th century ‘scientific’ artefacts that catalogued the characteristics of the ‘inferior races’, such as face casts and voice recordings and there is a exhibit on the life of Steve Biko, anti-Apartheid and Black Consciousness icon. Find out more at www.iziko.org.za/slavelodge or telephone 021 460 8242.
The Iziko Maritime Centre features an overview of shipping and maritime history in Cape Town and can be found on Dock Road at the V & A Waterfront. There is a collection of ship models and objects associated with shipping in Cape Town, in particular the era of mail-ships, with the emphasis on the Union-Castle Line. There are displays on Table Bay from the 17th to 20th century to tell the story of the development of the harbour. Web www.iziko.org.za/maritime or telephone, 021 464 1261.
The Heart of Cape Town Museum at Groote Schuur Hospital in Observatory, is a small museum that honours all those who played a major role in the world’s first heart transplant. Led by Professor Chris Barnard – the team performed a surgical feat that pushed the boundaries of science into the dawn of a new medical era. The museum itself includes the original A and B operating theatres where the transplant took place. Phone 021 404 1967 or log on to www.heartofcapetown.co.za
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