The Castle of Good Hope in Cape Town, the oldest existing building in South Africa, has announced that it will grant free entry on Freedom Day 2024 to everyone. The historical landmark, which was built by the Dutch East India Company between 1666 and 1679, houses a collection of several ‘permanent’ boutique museums, including the The Koena Art Institute, The Camissa Museum - The Peopling of the Cape, The Cape Heritage Museum, The Donkergat (Ammunition room), The torture chamber, The prison cells, The Military Museum, The William Fare Collection (Iziko Museums of South Africa) and many more.
The opening times of the Castle of Good Hope are daily, except for Christmas Day and New Year's Day, from 09:00 - 16:00 (the last tour is at 15:00). Tickets cost R50/adult and R25/South African pensioners & children.
The Castle of Good Hope is a bastion fort built by the Dutch East India Company between 1666 and 1679 in Cape Town. It was constructed as a maritime replenishment station, fortress, and administrative center for the Dutch colony at the Cape of Good Hope. The Castle was originally located on the coastline of Table Bay but, following reclamation, the fort is now located a short distance inland within Cape Town's CBD. It was declared a provincial heritage site in 1936 and a national monument in 1969.
23 April 2024
Cape Town: Free entry to the Castle of Good Hope on Freedom Day 2024!
16 April 2024
Cape Town: Free entry to selected Iziko museums on Freedom Day!
The 27th April 2024 marks the 30th anniversary of South Africa's first democratic elections. This day, now known as Freedom Day in South Africa, is commemorated every year to pay tribute to the courageous heroes and heroines who bravely fought for freedom, justice, and equality in South Africa. Iziko Museums of South Africa will be offering free entry to selected museums in Cape Town on Freedom Day 2024. This includes the Bo-Kaap Museum (71 Wale Street), South African National Gallery (Government Avenue, Company’s Garden), Slave Lodge (Corner Adderley and Wale Streets) and the South African Museum (25 Queen Victoria Street).
- Bo-Kaap Museum
- Mondays to Saturdays from 09:00 – 17:00
- South African National Gallery
- Monday to Sunday 09:00 – 17:00
- Slave Lodge
- Monday to Saturday 09:00 – 17:00
- South African Museum
- Monday to Sunday 09:00 – 17:00
Iziko Museums of South Africa operates 11 national museums in Cape Town as well as collection-specific libraries, a world-class Social History Archive and the most advanced digital Planetarium and Digital Dome on the African continent.
26 April 2023
Kruger National Park: Gate quotas to be implemented for day visitors during the long weekend (Freedom Day & Workers Day)!
South African National Parks (SANParks) has announced that daily quotas will once again apply at the entrance gates of Kruger National Park during the long weekend ahead (Freedom Day on 27 April 2023 and Workers Day on 01 May 2023) as an increased number of visitors is expected. Three time slots have been introduced, of which day visitos can choose from. Visitors are urged to make pre-bookings for their visits prior to their arrival. The times slots below will apply:
- Time slot 1: 06.00 to 08:00
- Time slot 2: 08:00 to 10:00
- Time slot 3: 10:00 onwards
There are still gravel roads that are closed in the South of Kruger National Park
due to flooding. Repairs are underway on the main road between Skukuza
and Lower Sabie which was extensively damaged and remain closed. READ MORE
Iziko Museums of South Africa: Free entry to selected museums on Freedom Day!
Iziko Museums of South Africa has announced that it will be offering free entry to selected museums in Cape Town on Freedom Day (27 April 2023). This includes Bo-Kaap Museum (71 Wale Street), Slave Lodge (Corner Adderley and Wale Streets), Rust en Vreugd (78 Buitenkant Street), Bertram House (Hiddingh Campus, Orange Street), Koopman's de Wet House (35 Strand Street), the South African Museum (25 Queen Victoria Street) and the South African National Gallery (Government Avenue).
- Bo-Kaap Museum
Mondays to Saturdays from 09:00 – 17:00 - Slave Lodge
Monday to Saturday 09:00 – 17:00 - Rust en Vreugd
Thursday and Friday 09:00 - 16:00 - Bertram House
Thursday and Friday 09:00 - 16:00 - Koopman's de Wet House
Thursday and Friday 09:00 - 16:00 - South African Museum
Monday to Sunday 09:00 – 17:00 - South African National Gallery
Monday to Sunday 09:00 – 17:00
Iziko Museums of South Africa operates 11 national museums in Cape Town as well as collection-specific libraries, a world-class Social History Archive and the most advanced digital Planetarium and Digital Dome on the African Continent.
26 April 2021
Iziko Museums of South Africa: Free entry to select museums on Freedom Day!
Iziko Museums of South Africa has announced that it will be offering free entry to select museums in Cape Town on Freedom Day (27 April 2021). This includes the Iziko South African Museum, the Iziko South African National Gallery, the Iziko Slave Lodge and the Iziko Bo-Kaap Museum. The Museums are open from 10:00 to 14:30 on Freedom Day. The Iziko South African Museum, the Iziko South African National Gallery and the Iziko Slave Lodge have two 90 minute timed-access sessions, at 10:00 and 12:30, with cleaning in between. Please note that there are Covid-19 protocols in place to ensure the safety of both staff and visitors.
Iziko Museums of South Africa operates 11 national museums in Cape Town as well as collection-specific libraries, a world-class Social History Archive and the most advanced digital Planetarium and Digital Dome on the African Continent.
09 May 2018
Iziko Museums of South Africa: Free entry on International Museum Day!
- 21 March – Human Rights Day
- 27 April – Freedom Day
- 18 May - International Museum Day
- 25 May – Africa Day
- 24 September – Heritage Day and Heritage Week
- 16 June – Youth Day
- 09 August – Women’s Day
- 01 December – World Aids Day & Emancipation Day
19 April 2018
Constitution Hill (Johannesburg): Free entry on Freedom Day!
The Constitution Hill precinct is located at 11 Kotze Street in Braamfontein, Johannesburg near the western end of the suburb of Hillbrow. The opening hours are daily from 09:00 to 17:00, with the final tour departing from the Visitor Centre at 16:00. Tickets for adults cost between R65 (1hrs highlights tour) and R350 (3hrs time travel tour). If you are visiting Constitution Hill as part of your City Sightseeing red bus tour, your red bus ticket entitles you to a 25% discount off your Constitution Hill ticket price on the day of your red bus trip.
Constitution Hill provides free entry on the following days:
- Human Rights Day: 21 March
- Freedom Day: 27 April
- Youth Day: 16 June
- Women's Day: 9 August
- Heritage Day: 24 September
- World Tourism Day: 27 September
- Day of Reconciliation: 16 December
*This offer applies to general admission for self-guided tours throughout the precinct.
17 April 2018
Iziko Museums of South Africa: Free entry on Freedom Day!
Iziko Museums of South Africa just announced on Facebook that visitors will have free access to all of its museums and galleries in Cape Town (except for the Iziko Planetarium & Digital Dome, Groot Constantia and the Castle of Good Hope) on Freedom Day on 27 April 2018!
- 21 March – Human Rights Day
- 27 April – Freedom Day
- 25 May – Africa Day
- 24 September – Heritage Day and Heritage Week
- 16 June – Youth Day
- 09 August – Women’s Day
- 01 December – World Aids Day & Emancipation Day