Five Ways to Discover Cape Town's Heritage on Heritage Day

A family weekend becomes even more memorable when children return home with items they made themselves. Such practical activities, whether pottery, candle making, bread baking, or traditional crafts, turn a trip into a creative adventure.

At Clay Cafe in Hout Bay, families can add a creative touch to a typical family getaway by choosing a ceramic item and turning it into their own piece of art. This family-friendly spot features over 180 ceramic pieces, including figurines, plates, and mugs. Children can select a favorite item, paint and personalize it before the finished piece becomes a keepsake souvenir. Additionally, there are branches in Paarl, Pretoria, Lanseria, and Johannesburg across South Africa.

This is a simple option for families who want the activity itself to be the main event, while still having the option to have lunch afterward. You can create a personalized ceramic mug, plate, or figurine toy.

Soltribe's craft programs in Constantia focus on mastering practical skills and hands-on work. The program changes throughout the year and includes activities such as leatherwork, candle making, felting, basket weaving, reed work, and clay. These programs have been offered to children aged three to six and seven to fourteen, during which the children created various projects and took their creations home. This is especially good for children who enjoy taking things apart, putting them back together, and figuring out how things work. Depending on the workshop, you can make anything from a candle to a leather or woven craft item.

A trip to Cape Winelands doesn't necessarily have to revolve around wine. At the historic farm Babylonstoren in Soetmelksvlei, practical culinary workshops put traditional farming skills at the center of the experience. The current program includes baking workshops using seasonal produce, where participants learn practical baking skills and take their creations home. Upcoming workshops include fruit baking, chocolate cake, butter and buttermilk rusks, and hearty breads. It should be noted that these workshops are not exclusively for children, so they are best suited for older children or families who can attend a suitable session together. As a result, you can get fresh bread, pies, cakes, or other seasonal dishes, depending on the chosen workshop.

If you want the children to leave with something more substantial than a photograph, visit a pottery studio. Claytopia in Johannesburg offers creative clay modeling sessions for children and teenagers, with classes divided by age group. Children learn pottery skills by creating useful small tableware and gifts; clay, glazes, and equipment are included in the price. The emphasis here is not so much on creating a perfect piece, but on exploring the possibilities that a lump of clay offers. Younger children can experiment with shaping and decorating, while older ones can develop more practical pottery skills.

For something different, you can visit an operating organic farm where children can see the food production process instead of just buying it in a store. At the organic farm Wegraakbosch, families can learn about organic farming and traditional cheese making. The cheese-making tour introduces visitors to the process of hand-making cheese over fire using traditional Swiss methods. Children can also collect eggs, feed calves, and try milking a cow by hand. This turns the farm visit into a more practical activity, offering curious children many opportunities for observation and participation. As a result, you can get cheese while learning about the origin of some ingredients and farm products.

Family leisure doesn't always require a grand attraction at the end of the road. Sometimes the best part is simply sitting with a lump of clay, kneading dough, pouring wax for a candle, or learning how milk turns into cheese.

Heritage Month offers an opportunity to look deeper than just the beaches, mountains, and culinary scene of Cape Town by immersing oneself in the histories that have shaped this city. Cape Town's museums showcase the most diverse facets of the city: from fictional to unexpectedly fascinating, and some are suitable for family outings.

If you plan to explore the history and culture of Cape Town in September, these museums should be included in your list of visits.

Iziko South African Museum

Visiting the Iziko South African Museum gives you a chance to journey through millions of years of South African history without leaving the Company Gardens. The museum's collections cover the natural world, archaeology, and human history, including exhibits ranging from fossils and ancient artifacts to marine specimens and displays of human evolution.

The museum's location allows for easy combination with other attractions in central Cape Town. You can spend the morning at the museum and then head to the Company Gardens or continue exploring other cultural sites in the city.

Address: 25 Queen Victoria Street, Gardens.

Zeitz MOCAA

The Zeitz MOCAA focuses on contemporary African creativity and the discussions taking place on the continent and among its diaspora. The museum occupies a historic grain silo complex at the V&A Waterfront, making the building itself part of the exhibition. Inside the gallery, modern works from various countries, artists, and perspectives are presented.

This is a good choice if you want your Heritage Month outing to consider Africa's present and future alongside its past.

Address: Silo District, V&A Waterfront.

District Six Museum

To understand the more recent history of Cape Town, one can start with the District Six Museum, which offers an intimate space. The museum focuses on the experiences of people who lived in District Six before forced removals during the apartheid era changed the area. Personal stories and historical materials help visitors grasp the community that existed there and the consequences of its destruction.

This museum is more focused on listening to memories associated with a place that remains an important part of Cape Town's identity, rather than simply viewing exhibits.

Address: 25A Buitenkant Street, Cape Town CBD.

Heart of Cape Town Museum

Cape Town made a medical breakthrough in December 1967 when Dr. Christian Barnard and his team performed the world's first successful human heart transplant at Groote Schuur Hospital. The Heart of Cape Town Museum preserves the story of this remarkable moment, giving visitors insight into the medical team, the operation itself, and the hospital setting where it took place.

For those interested in science, medicine, or unusual chapters of Cape Town's history, this museum offers a completely different experience compared to the city's artistic and historical collections.

Address: Groote Schuur Hospital, Observatory.

Cape Town Diamond Museum

The history and economy of South Africa have long been closely linked to diamonds, and the Cape Town Diamond Museum provides a brief introduction to this topic. Located at the V&A Waterfront, the museum traces the diamond's journey from its underground origin through mining and the processes of transforming rough stones into polished gems. Exhibitions also include replicas of some of the world's most famous diamonds, including Cullinan.

This is a light addition to a Waterfront route if you want to fit in some history during a day of sightseeing.

Address: The Clock Tower, V&A Waterfront.

Cape Town's museums vividly demonstrate the city's multilayered nature. One visit can take you from prehistoric fossils to contemporary African art, while another can introduce you to personal stories related to apartheid-era displacement or a medical breakthrough that garnered international attention. This Heritage Month, replace your usual trip through Cape Town with a museum visit—perhaps you will leave with an understanding of a completely different side of the Mother City.

Residents of Cape Town looking for an alternative way to spend their evening can look up at the sky in September, as the South African Astronomical Observatory (NRF|SAAO) will open its historic facility for a series of night tours and open evenings.

Located at the Observatory on the grounds of the former Royal Observatory, NRF|SAAO combines astronomy with the history of one of the city's long-standing scientific institutions. The historic building of this site is recognized as a national heritage object.

Night tours offer visitors the opportunity to tour the observatory after dark while learning more about the history of astronomy in South Africa. The program includes visits to the Main Building, Visitor Centre, and Museum, as well as the historic McClain building.

Under favorable weather conditions, the evening may conclude with stargazing through telescopes set up for public viewing. Night tours are scheduled for September 8, 10, 15, 17, 19, 22, and 24, running from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM.

For those who prefer to combine astronomy with a science-oriented presentation, the observatory is also hosting Open Evenings on September 12 and 26. These evenings begin with a lecture on astronomy or a related scientific topic, followed by guided tours of the observatory's heritage sections. Guests can see the library, museum, and the historic McClain telescope, and if the weather is good, stargazing will be offered through mobile telescopes.

Currently, Open Evenings are held at the observatory on the second and fourth Saturday of every month, making the September dates part of its regular public program.

Important Notes for Visitors

Although the opportunity to view the telescope is a significant part of the experience, it is not guaranteed. SAAO notes that stargazing depends on weather conditions; if conditions do not allow for telescope use, the planned astronomy and heritage events will still take place.

Visitors should also be prepared for an evening that requires moving between different locations. The observatory recommends wearing closed shoes and warm clothing, and advises bringing rain protection in case of expected rain.

Advance booking is essential as space is limited. SAAO also indicates that the tour fees support the observatory's education, public outreach, and socio-economic development programs.

Thus, September offers Cape Town residents several opportunities to visit the observatory after dark to replace ordinary evening plans with something focused on science, history, and the night sky.