Iziko Museums of South Africa: Explore Cape Town’s museums for free on Human Rights Day 2025!

Great news for history and culture enthusiasts! Iziko Museums of South Africa is offering free entry to select museums in Cape Town on Human Rights Day (21 March 2025). This is a fantastic opportunity to explore South Africa’s rich heritage at no cost.

Visitors can enjoy complimentary access to the following Iziko Museums:

• South African Museum (25 Queen Victoria Street)
• South African National Gallery (Government Avenue)
• Bo-Kaap Museum (71 Wale Street)
• Slave Lodge (Corner of Adderley and Wale Streets)

Note: Free entry does not apply to Groot Constantia, the Castle of Good Hope, or the Iziko Planetarium and Digital Dome.

Museum Opening Hours:

• South African Museum: Monday – Sunday, 09:00 – 17:00
• South African National Gallery: Monday – Sunday, 09:00 – 17:00
• Bo-Kaap Museum: Monday – Saturday, 09:00 – 17:00
• Slave Lodge: Monday – Saturday, 09:00 – 17:00

This year’s Human Rights Day theme is "Deepening a Culture of Social Justice and Human Rights." Take this chance to reflect on South Africa’s journey while exploring its historical and cultural landmarks.

Iziko Museums operates 11 national museums across Cape Town, along with specialized libraries, a Social History Archive, and the most advanced Digital Planetarium and Digital Dome on the African continent.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to celebrate Human Rights Day with a free museum experience in Cape Town!

Cape Town: Free entry to selected Iziko museums on Human Rights Day!

Iziko Museums of South Africa has announced that it will be offering free entry to selected museums in Cape Town on Human Rights Day on 21 March 2024. This includes the Bo-Kaap Museum (71 Wale Street), Slave Lodge (Corner Adderley and Wale Streets), Rust en Vreugd (78 Buitenkant Street), Koopman's de Wet House (35 Strand Street), South African Museum (25 Queen Victoria Street) and the South African National Gallery (Government Avenue, Company’s Garden.

• 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
• 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.

Iziko Museums of South Africa: Free entry to selected museums on Human Rights Day!

Iziko Museums of South Africa has announced that it will be offering free entry to selected museums in Cape Town on Human Rights Day (21 March 2023). This includes the Bo-Kaap Museum (71 Wale Street), Slave Lodge (Corner Adderley and Wale Streets), 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
• 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.

Iziko Museums of South Africa: Free entry to select museums on Human Rights Day!

Iziko Museums of South Africa has announced that it will be offering free entry* to select museums in Cape Town on Human Rights Day (21 March 2021). This includes the Iziko South African Museum, the Iziko South African National Gallery and the Iziko Maritime Centre located at Union Castle House at the V&A Waterfront. Please note that there are Covid-19 protocols in place to ensure the safety of both staff and visitors. As part of the Covid-19 prevention and safeguarding of visitors, all Iziko Museums have capacity limitations in order to ensure appropriate social distancing and cleaning. Masks are compulsory for entry.

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.

*FREE entry excludes the Iziko Bo Kaap Museum, the Iziko Slave Lodge, Groot Constantia, the Castle of Good Hope, the Iziko Planetarium and Digital Dome, and Museums currently closed for repairs and renovations.

Apartheid Museum (Johannesburg): Free entry on Human Rights Day!

The Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg just announced on its Facebook page that the entrance will be free on Human Rights Day on 21 March 2019. The Museum will also host a public debate titled "The Black Body: (Still) a Site of Oppression" between 15:00 - 17:00 that day (RSVP required).


The Apartheid Museum is located on the corner of Northern Park Way and Gold Reef Road in Johannesburg. It is open daily from 09:00 - 17:00 (except for Good Friday, Christmas Day and New Year's Day). The admission fee is currently R95.00 for adults and R80.00 for pensioners, university students and children. You can visit the Apartheid Museum as part of your City Sightseeing red bus tour.

Constitution Hill (Johannesburg): Free entry & tours on Human Rights Day!

Johannesburg's Constitution Hill precinct is a living museum that tells the story of South Africa's journey to democracy. The site is a former prison and military fort and is, today, home to the country's Constitutional Court. Constitution Hill will offer free entry and tours on Human Rights Day on 21 March 2019. In the evening of the day, the official launch of the Constitution Hill Human Rights Festival will take place at the precint. The following four days will include activities on "Activism Row", a film festival, workshops, theatre, a poetry festival and the #StandUp4HumanRights Music Concert. The annual "We, the People Walk" will be taking place alongside the "We, the Children Walk", and there will also be a "Book Fest", a "Makers Market", a "Social Forum for debate and discussion", and more.



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 R80 (1hrs highlights tour) and R300 (3hrs night 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 

Iziko Museums of South Africa: Free entry on Human Rights Day!

Iziko Museums of South Africa (Iziko) has announced that visitors will have free access to all of its museums and galleries in Cape Town (except for the Iziko Planetarium and Digital Dome, Groot Constantia and museums closed for repair and renovations) on Human Rights Day on 21 March 2019. Iziko operates 11 national museums, the Planetarium and Digital Dome, the Social History Centre and three collection-specific libraries in Cape Town.

 
Iziko Museums of South Africa (Iziko) provides free entry on the following days:

• 21 March – Human Rights Day
• 27 April – Freedom Day
• 18 May - International Museum Day
• 25 May – Africa Day
• 16 June – Youth Day
• 09 August – Women’s Day
• 17 - 24 September – Heritage Day and Heritage Week
• 01 December – World Aids Day & Emancipation Day
• 16 December - Reconciliation Day

School holidays & public holidays in South Africa 2019/20 >>

Constitution Hill (Johannesburg): Free entry & tours on Human's Right Day!

Johannesburg's Constitution Hill is a living museum that tells the story of South Africa's journey to democracy. The site is a former prison and military fort and is, today, home to the country's Constitutional Court. Constitution Hill will offer free admission and tours on Human Rights Day (21 March 2018). Visitors will be able to join a guided tour through the museum, explore the museum on their own, walk through the Number 4 prison, the Old Fort prison and the Women's Gaol, and view, or example, the Nelson Mandela "Prisoner in a Garden" exhibition or the Mahatma Gandhi exhibition.


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

Iziko Museums of South Africa: Free entry on Human Rights Day!

Iziko Museums of South Africa just announced on Facebook that visitors will have free access 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 Human Rights Day on 21 March 2018!

Iziko Museums of South Africa provides free entry on the following days:

• 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

School/public holidays in South Africa 2018 >>

Today is Human Rights Day (10 Dec 2010)

Held annually on the 10 December, Human Rights Day is one of the most important high points in the calendar of the United Nations. The day is traditionally marked by high-level political conferences, meetings, by cultural events and exhibitions dealing with human rights issues. The Nobel Peace Prize, for example, is awarded every year in Oslo, Norway, on 10 December.
This year's Human Rights Day is dedicated to Human Rights defenders who act to end discrimination.



The date (10 Dec) was chosen to honor the United Nations General Assembly's adoption and proclamation, on 10 December 1948, of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the first global enunciation of human rights. The formal establishment of the Human Rights Day occurred on 04 Dec 1950.

In South Africa, Human Rights Day is celebrated on 21 March, in remembrance of the Sharpeville massacre. The Sharpeville massacre, named after the township of Sharpeville in what is now Gauteng, occurred on 21 March 1960, when South African police opened fire on a crowd of black protesters, killing 69 people.