South African Jewish Museum

Take a journey back to the early roots of the South African Jewish community with interactive displays, audio-visual presentations, and rare and fascinating artefacts. Marvel at the modern architecture of the museum itself, the contents of which mirror the fusion between the past and present.

Note the museum’s notable drawbridge feature, connecting the Old Synagogue to the new museum building, which symbolises a ship’s gangway along which immigrants would have been expected to walk. Don’t miss an opportunity to view the world’s finest collections of Netsuke–carved, miniature Japanese sculptures originating from the 17th Century. After an informative afternoon, enjoy a break at the museum’s Café Riteve restaurant.

One of the museum’s major attractions is the building itself. The museum is a feat of architectural design which incorporates the Old Synagogue, the first synagogue built in South Africa in 1863, into a modern complex. Created with glass, wood and steel elements, the modern complex consists of the Great Synagogue, built-in 1905, the Albow Centre, the Gitlin Library, Café Riteve, the Cape Town Holocaust Centre and the Israel Abrahams hall.

To enter the museum, a photo ID is required for all visitors. The museum hosts temporary and permanent exhibitions, while the Cape Town Holocaust Centre located upstairs shares an insightful and emotional experience. Guests are encouraged to watch the fascinating 25-minute documentary ‘Nelson Mandela: A Righteous Man’, which is permanently on show at the museum. The documentary is covered in the ticket price and is an appropriate closure to a day at the museum.

Valid identification required for entry (passport, ID Document or driver’s license)