District Six Museum
District Six Museum
4.5
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
About
The apartheid nationalist government destroyed District Six in the 1960s. This memorial museum contains maps, photographs and other reminders of this old vibrant neighborhood. Site walks and tours in the Museum with ex-resident storytellers are also offered.
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- KatherineManchester, United Kingdom522 contributionsHistorical and worth a visit!Didn’t really know what to expect, it was worth the visit in my eyes. To read about the history and how people were treated no that long ago really. The personal statements about being displaced really gave a true perspective. It is a little dated in how its set up in the church and could do with some investment.Visited November 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 7 November 2023
- Charlie SVancouver, Canada18 contributionsMust see to understand the impact of Aparthied.A must see museum to understand the gravity of the impact of the displacement ("forced removals" of black people) in Cape Town during the Apartheid. We took the option of a tour which gave us the opportunity to speak with a person displaced in his 20's. This was a very moving experience.Visited October 2023Travelled with familyWritten 23 November 2023
- B RussellCalgary, Canada61 contributionsA must-see museumMuseum has an engaging variety of displays to explain what the D6 residents endured under apartheid, the richness of their lives despite harsh economic conditions, and how their lives subsequently unfolded over the years. Displays convey a very personal and communitarian focus. Excellent museum; poignant that it’s in one of the few churches not torn down during the mass relocation of reisdents.Visited December 2023Travelled soloWritten 13 December 2023
- Tita ElvieCanada102 contributionsA must visit museumIf you visit Cape Town, you need to visit this museum. It is truly important to know about Apartheid and how it has impacted South Africa. The museum is well done and make sure to arrive at a time where you can take the tour. The tour made the experience significantly better.Visited November 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 10 March 2024
- Deborah VMontreal, Canada233 contributionsChoose a guide to walk with youA must-see in Cape Town. You can either do the tour on your own (ZAR60) or have a guide (ZAR75) who is always a former resident of District Six. In my case, I chose to have a guide who was a lovely Malay lady who lived there until the age of 7, where they all got kicked out with nothing but a suitcase. A very touching and emotional experience.Visited March 2024Travelled soloWritten 31 March 2024
- sethseanNew York City, New York124 contributionsDefinitely worth the timeThere is a lot to read in this museum but it tells a very important story about a community destroyed by apartheid. It was well worth taking the time to read the displays, look at all the photos and the artifacts. You get a real understanding of what happened here.Visited March 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 16 April 2024
- Sightsee765806Lambertville, New Jersey94 contributionsAmazing Insights about District Six & ApartheidMy friend and I took a one-hour guided tour of the District Six Museum in late June with a guide that was provided by the museum. The guides are all former residents of District Six. I strongly recommend that you do the guided tour because it brings all of the exhibits in the museum to life as the guide can put everything in context with their own personal experiences of life in District Six and provide details about the era. The tour was very impactful for me. It is a testament to the resilience of the black and colored populations of South Africa during apartheid. I highly recommend this guided tour of the museum. There were 2 guides during the time we were in the museum. Our guide was assigned 4 people including my friend and I. To get a personal guided tour just email the museum and they will send you a form to fill out where you indicate the date you want to take the tour and you choose from one of the time slots available. All they ask is that you make a small donation to the museum. The cost of this tour is minimal compared to the value it delivers. It will be the lowest cost tour you will pay for related to Cape Town and the surrounding sites. The museum tour will give you more realistic and meaningful insights than you will ever learn from a book or history classes you had in school.Visited June 2024Travelled with friendsWritten 15 July 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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4.5
2,142 reviews
Excellent
1,110
Very good
715
Average
242
Poor
61
Terrible
14
Mohamed R
Cape Town Central, South Africa63 contributions
Nov 2019
Wow. This place evokes the painful memories of the people of Cape Town. Lots of mementos and artifacts, with text-rich information boards. Space is a bit limited so standing for a long time to read the boards can create congestion. As a local I found the price a bit high- I think there should be different rate for international visitors. Also, the museum should include a brochure that gives a bit of the background to D6. We were a few minutes too late for the tour (which is an additional charge) so did a self-guided tour. Also, the reception should be a bit more welcoming and friendly. Overall a good experience, a reminder of the history of Cape Town and its people.
Written 22 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thomas V
Oakland, CA17,572 contributions
Jan 2020
One of the best parts of our tour of Cape Town, this down-to-earth museum tells the story of this unique community, erased now and scattered. An important part of the history of this city and this land. We have told all of our friends about this place. Lots of personal stories here and artifacts of a time past.
Written 24 April 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SouthOceanDrive
Miami Beach, FL2 contributions
Dec 2022 • Family
We were told there were guided tours so we waited a half a hour to start a tour that we were then told we could not join as we had not paid for it! Too bad they did not impart that information when we paid the entrance fee! . The photos are small and the explanations long in poor lighting in a building with no air conditioning. The room felt run down and in all a very disappointing tour.
There is an awesome coffee shop across the street!
There is an awesome coffee shop across the street!
Written 25 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sightsee765806
Lambertville, NJ94 contributions
June 2024 • Friends
My friend and I took a one-hour guided tour of the District Six Museum in late June with a guide that was provided by the museum. The guides are all former residents of District Six. I strongly recommend that you do the guided tour because it brings all of the exhibits in the museum to life as the guide can put everything in context with their own personal experiences of life in District Six and provide details about the era. The tour was very impactful for me. It is a testament to the resilience of the black and colored populations of South Africa during apartheid. I highly recommend this guided tour of the museum. There were 2 guides during the time we were in the museum. Our guide was assigned 4 people including my friend and I. To get a personal guided tour just email the museum and they will send you a form to fill out where you indicate the date you want to take the tour and you choose from one of the time slots available. All they ask is that you make a small donation to the museum. The cost of this tour is minimal compared to the value it delivers. It will be the lowest cost tour you will pay for related to Cape Town and the surrounding sites. The museum tour will give you more realistic and meaningful insights than you will ever learn from a book or history classes you had in school.
Written 15 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jonno_the_Yachtie
Godalming, UK79 contributions
Feb 2020
We got more from this than the Robben Island trip. As has been explained its the story of a part of the city which was "ethnically cleansed" by the Apartheid government, with all the personal stories. Unfortunately the presentation is a bit haphazard and random but its definitely worth persevering.
Written 24 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SteveK
Los Angeles, CA168 contributions
Feb 2022
Visited museum hoping to learn about Apartheid through lens of this neighborhood’s history. Intended audience seems domestic rather than foreign. Assumption is visitor comes academically prepped for deep dive into minutiae. Foreigners don’t come ready for that.
Foreigners need a smoother, easier, linear chronological narrative set against a broader historical context.
Museum feels an amalgamation of different layers added by successive curators. Presentation doesn’t know whether it wants to be historical, emotionally sentimental, or artistic. By conflating the three, museum succeeds at none.
Wikipedia proved a more illuminating and clearer recounting of this subject matter.
VISITED: 3 February 2022; 50 ZAR (foreign adult); credit cards accepted
Foreigners need a smoother, easier, linear chronological narrative set against a broader historical context.
Museum feels an amalgamation of different layers added by successive curators. Presentation doesn’t know whether it wants to be historical, emotionally sentimental, or artistic. By conflating the three, museum succeeds at none.
Wikipedia proved a more illuminating and clearer recounting of this subject matter.
VISITED: 3 February 2022; 50 ZAR (foreign adult); credit cards accepted
Written 3 February 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
oberon6
middlesex47 contributions
Feb 2020
Everyone who visits Cape Town should pay a visit to this museum. It is not big but it tells a powerful story of part of the Apartheid regime. It is full of photos and memories of those people who lived in the area, how they felt at losing their homes and community. I wish we had taken a guided tour to Get an even better understanding of what it meant to the people.
Written 29 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rav2304
London, UK304 contributions
Aug 2019
The sheer history of Cape Town can be relived by visiting this museum. They have many articles, images and other artefacts available to see and read which really show you what happened in District 6 and why it is such a significant area in Cape Town's history. Highly recommended and only need 2 hours max!
Written 19 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Waynegreaves
Scunthorpe, UK151 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
It’s hard to give a score on this place. On one hand it is an important event in South Africa’s history to learn about and it is very cheap to enter. However on the other hand, the layout and potential of the place, leaves one feeling an opportunity missed.
Hopefully the museum can build on what they have achieved.
Hopefully the museum can build on what they have achieved.
Written 4 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
beachnrun
69 contributions
Aug 2023 • Family
I recommend doing a quick stop by the property that was District Six prior to going to the museum. It put into perspective the information contained in the museum. It's my understanding that there are tours at the museum that are guided by a former resident. We didn't have time to do that, as we had limited time on the way to the airport, but I did see a group on a tour, and it seemed as though everyone was engaged. The museum was small but packed with information. If we return to Cape Town we will attend a tour. The cost is very inexpensive, and I think this is an underrated gem.
Written 5 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Please can you tell us if there is car parking nearby?
Written 4 February 2020
Hi, unfortunately there is no free parking nearby as the museum in located downtown in the city. If you are willing to park a few blocks away, you might be able to find something not too far without having to pay.
An alternative is to leave your vehicle at the accommodation (assuming that you will be staying somewhere in the city or close by) and take a walk to the museum or an uber. Much cheaper and will give you the opportunity to explore the inner city on foot.
Written 6 April 2020
Hello, How long does the guided tour of District 6 museum take?
Written 2 March 2018
El museo consta de planta baja y un primer piso es muy pequeňo con una hora es sufuciente para una visita general
Written 14 May 2018
theblackbutterfly
Potchefstroom, South Africa
What is the duration of the guided tours here?
Written 21 June 2017
It's around one hour, though our lasted two because the guide felt like talking to us for longer
Written 25 June 2017
Can I book a private tour when we arrive at the museum or does this need to be pre booked?
Written 30 August 2016
Maybe pre-booking would be a good idea to ensure that someone is available for you when you are there.
Written 5 September 2016
Ric V
Merimbula, Australia
Where exactly is the old church hall on the Yellow Tour Bus Route?
Written 16 April 2016
Sorry, Tripadvisor site, not sight!
Written 17 April 2016
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