The imposing South African Museum, dedicated to natural history and the human sciences, contains a huge variety of fascinating exhibits from entire chunks of caves bearing rock art, to traditional arts and crafts from several African tribes. The natural history galleries are full of mounted mammals, dioramas of prehistoric reptiles and a collection of whale skeletons, which can be viewed with the eerie sound of whalesong echoing in the background. Alongside the museum is the Planetarium, which has a changing programme of thematic shows involving the southern constellations.
Address: 25 Queen Victoria Street, Gardens
Telephone: (021) 481 3800 (museum), 481 3900 (planetarium)
Opening Time: Daily 10am to 5pm. Planetarium shows Monday to Friday at 2pm and at 8pm on Tuesdays; Saturday and Sunday 12pm, 1pm and 2.30pm
Admission: Museum: R10 (adults), R5, free on Saturdays; Planetarium: R20, R6 (children).