Castle Military Museum — Attraction in Cape Town Ward 115

Quick Takeaways

🏰 Located inside the Castle of Good Hope, Cape Town’s oldest surviving colonial building (built 1666–1679 by the Dutch East India Company)

🎟 Entry included in the Castle’s general admission ticket

⚠️ Area is a known tourist crime hotspot — visit in a group or with a guide

🪖 Small and somewhat underwhelming collection, though informative

💡 Focuses mainly on 17th–19th century military history; little coverage of 20th century use

🏛️ Some overlap and confusion with the William Fehr Collection, which is in a different part of the fort.

⸻

📝 Full Review

The Military Museum inside the Castle of Good Hope is a relatively small setup that documents the early military history of the Cape. There does appear to be some confusion in how it’s presented, as parts of the William Fehr Collection — which focuses more on art and colonial-era artefacts — are sometimes mixed in, where as they are two separate exhibits in different locations within the fort.

The museum sits within the Castle grounds, just a short walk from the City Hall and the Grand Parade. Unfortunately, this area is known as a tourist crime hotspot, so I’d strongly recommend visiting in a group or with a guide. Keep valuables out of sight — even lanyards won’t prevent opportunistic thefts, as cords can simply be cut. That said, there is a visible police and security presence, which helps keep the area reasonably safe for visitors.

The Castle itself — built between 1666 and 1679 by the Dutch East India Company (VOC) — once served as a defensive fortress, administrative centre, and military headquarters for both the Dutch and later the British during their occupations.

The museum is located within the inner buildings and included in the general entrance fee, so you can access it freely once inside. Unfortunately, the exhibition feels rather flat and uninspiring. The lighting is basic, and several display cases are either empty or sparsely filled. The information boards are factual and provide an overview of the fort’s history, including the key military engagements between the Dutch and British.

The models depicting the fort’s transformation over time are interesting, and there are a few displays of 18th- and 19th-century weapons, along with a handful of mannequins in period uniforms. However, the overall presentation lacks atmosphere and narrative flow.

It’s also a shame that the museum doesn’t cover the fort’s later years in more detail — such as its continued use by the South African military into the 20th century — which would give visitors a fuller sense of its long and complex history.

Overall, while the museum is informative, it’s not particularly engaging or immersive. Worth a look if you’re already visiting the Castle, but not something to plan...

Well worth the stop.

Highly focused, small museum covering history of fort and broader military operations relevant to Cape history.

Museum does a great job conveying history of area and why it matters. Modern facility with well-curated exhibits.

Museum is included for anyone purchasing a fort ticket.

VISITED: 4 February 2022; foreign adult 50 ZAR; credit...

R50 entrance , learn some South African history , very interesting reads if you are into it, a lot of old furniture , definitely a South...