South African National Gallery, Cape Town

Price: ZAR 60.00 per person · Standard admission · Adult, ZAR 100.00 per person · Standard admission · Foreign visitors
Standing: High
Rank: Rank 66 of 4,639

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

Plan your visit.

Admission

Per person	ZAR 60.00 Standard admission Adult
Per person	ZAR 100.00 Standard admission Foreign visitors

Checked 2026-11-10 · Source

About South African National Gallery

The Iziko South African National Gallery is South Africa's national art gallery, on Government Avenue in the Company's Garden in Cape Town; since 2001 it has been part of the Iziko group of museums. The national collection was founded in 1872 with a bequest of paintings from the estate of Thomas Butterworth Bayley. Foundations for a purpose-built gallery were laid in 1914, and the present building was officially opened to the public on 3 November 1930 by the Earl of Athlone.

Checked 2026-11-10 · Source

What's inside

Much of the collection consists of Dutch, French and British works from the 17th to the 19th century, including lithographs, etchings and some early 20th-century British paintings. The gallery also holds an authoritative collection of sculpture and beadwork, and its contemporary displays are drawn from many of South Africa's communities. South African art entered the collection in 1926 with works by Anton van Wouw and Neville Lewis, and the building was enlarged in 1937 to make room for such purchases.

Checked 2026-11-10 · Source

Season and crowds

The Iziko page gives two schedules side by side: winter weekend hours of 08:30 to 16:00 on Saturdays and Sundays, and opening between 09:00 and 17:00 Monday to Sunday. It does not say when the winter period starts or ends, so check the page before a weekend visit, especially late in the afternoon. The gallery is closed on Christmas Day and on Workers' Day.

Checked 2026-11-10 · Source

Tickets

Iziko charges separate international and local fees. International visitors pay R100, whether adults, children aged 5 to 17, or pensioners and students. The local fee is R60 for adults and R40 for children aged 5 to 17, and South African pensioners and students pay R40 on presentation of a valid card. Bring identification if you are claiming the local rate.

Checked 2026-11-10 · Source

Place details and sources

Building: Office building OpenStreetMap · Checked 2026-09-09
Type of place: Art gallery OpenStreetMap · Checked 2026-09-09
Established: 1930 Wikidata · Checked 2026-09-09
Wikipedia article: Iziko South African National Gallery Wikipedia · Checked 2026-09-09