The 15 Best Museum Visits in South Africa

1.Soweto /Johannesburg and Apartheid Museum Guided Full Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 932 reviews · from $103Our pick

Spend 8 to 9 hours with a local guide such as Nathi, Bobo, or Matti, touring Johannesburg and Soweto by air-conditioned minivan. Visit Mandela House, Hector Pieterson Museum, Constitution Hill, and the Apartheid Museum, with hotel pickup and a small group of up to 15.

“Some confronting historical facts and images greet you on this tour, so be ready for it! But our Tour Guide Nathi was thoughtful and thorough, and had us well-prepared for each stop. I'd never known about the cross overs between the two greats of Freedom & Democracy - Gandhi & Mandela. This vital tour brought that, and so much more into the light.”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Jo’berg in 1 Day: Soweto, Apartheid Museum & City Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 524 reviews · 8 hours · from $142

Spend eight hours with an English-speaking guide such as Khutso, Thapelo, or Tinyiko, moving from Soweto’s Vilakazi Street and Hector Pieterson Museum to the Apartheid Museum and Constitution Hill. Pickup, transport, entry fees, and onboard WiFi are included, while lunch is your responsibility.

“A great day of sightseeing in Johannesburg- our guide was great with lots of information and we saw so much- great value too as all entry tickets included.”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Full-Day Tour with Soweto and Apartheid Museum

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 478 reviews · 10 hours · from $104

Spend 10 hours tracing Johannesburg’s apartheid-era past with hotel pickup, an air-conditioned vehicle, and a live English or French guide. Visit Constitution Hill, the Apartheid Museum, Mandela House, and Hector Pieterson Memorial, then stop for lunch in Soweto at your own cost.

“Advice was incredible! Very informative and happy to answer any questions. What a fantastic day! Thank you very much Advice!”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Full-Day Soweto, Apartheid Museum and Lunch Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 410 reviews · from $108

Spend about nine hours with a MoAfrika guide exploring Soweto, from FNB Stadium and an informal settlement to Vilakazi Street, Hector Pieterson Museum, Orlando Towers, and the Apartheid Museum. Hotel pickup, lunch, Wi-Fi, and return transport are included.

“Our host was very kind and had an answer to every question. The tour was a lot of information. The only thing I didn't find interesting was the F&B football stadium. Otherwise all the stops were super interesting.”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Half Guided Day Tour of Soweto And Apartheid Museum

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 356 reviews · from $69

This 4 to 5-hour small-group tour combines the Apartheid Museum with Soweto sights, including Vilakazi Street, Mandela House, and the Hector Pieterson Memorial. Hotel pickup, transport, taxes, and several admissions are included. Guides such as Nathi and Bobo add local context, while the museum visit is self-guided.

“Great Guide and a nice tour :) A lot of information about the history of South Afrika. Very interesting”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Ultimate Johannesburg Soweto Experience with Apartheid Museum

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 313 reviews · from $108

Spend about nine hours touring Johannesburg and Soweto by air-conditioned minivan, with hotel pickup, WiFi, and a driver-guide. See Constitution Hill, the Apartheid Museum, Vilakazi Street, Hector Pieterson Museum, and an informal settlement. Mandela House is optional, and lunch is not included.

“The tour was great ! However, I constantly felt like we were being rushed to the next thing. We toured Johannesburg first but I would have prefered to start in Soweto. When we arrived to both the Hector Pieterson Museum and the Nelson Mandela Museum we had a limited amount of time because they were close to closing. If the Apartheid Museum is something you are interested in be prepared to some back a second time. We were allowed 2 hours including lunch but if you would like to take your time and read everything it can easily take up an entire day by itself. Overall I think it was…”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.Hop-On Hop-Off Bus, City Tour and Apartheid Museum

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 250 reviews · 1 day · from $50

Combine a Johannesburg hop-on hop-off bus tour with a two-hour Soweto visit led by a local guide such as KG, DT, or Linda. See Mandela House, Hector Pieterson Memorial, Orlando Towers, Constitution Hill, and the Apartheid Museum. Entry fees are extra, so plan your stops and budget carefully.

“I booked online the red bus plus Soweto tour. If your details mention, 8am to 5pm that is office hours, just get there 10mins before your bus leaves ie 8.50am for the 9am. The commentary via headphones is very informative, easy to listen to, even if you wesr hearing aids. I got off at Constitution Hill and did the 1 hour tour (apartheid museum was closed,) and also did the 2 hr Soweto tour, again, informative. Managed this by catching the 9am bus, returning at 3.30pm.”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.Museum of Contemporary African Art: Fast-Track Zeitz MOCAA

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 204 reviews · 1 day · from $16

Visit Zeitz MOCAA at the V&A Waterfront with fast-track entry. You’ll explore 100 galleries across nine floors, see the dramatic silo-carved atrium, and reach a rooftop sculpture garden, bookshop, restaurant, bar, and reading rooms at your own pace.

Check availability →Read our full review

9.Private Guided Tour of Cape Town Diamond Museum

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 156 reviews · 1 day · from $24

Meet your English or Afrikaans-speaking guide at the Gavin Collins Gallery in Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront. In 45 minutes, learn how South African diamonds form, get a look at cutting and jewelry work, enjoy soft drinks or wine, and discuss designing a diamond with a personal designer.

“The lady who took us for this tour is knowledgeable about the subject matter. She had one job for us and she executed it well..”

Check availability →Read our full review

10.Maropeng Cradle of Humankind Museum &Sterkfontein Cave Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 155 reviews · from $103

Travel from Johannesburg to Maropeng with a guide such as Tshepo, Nathi, Kenneth, or Trevor, then explore 2,500 square metres of human-origins exhibits and an underground boat ride. Sterkfontein Cave is currently closed due to flooding, so confirm what your booking includes before you go.

“Our driver was very kind, and he answered all of my questions, which I appreciated, but the description of this trip is misleading. It was basically a driver. The tour of the Cradle was just the one that came with entrance tickets.”

Check availability →Read our full review

12.Soweto & Apartheid Museum Half-Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 99 reviews · 5h 30m · from $84

Spend about five and a half hours touring Soweto and the Apartheid Museum with an English or French-speaking guide. You’ll visit Mandela House, see the Soweto Towers and FNB Stadium, pass Desmond Tutu’s home, and learn about apartheid from guides such as Advice, Masese, and John.

“Enjoyed the tour! Masese accommodated a later-than-normal start (because I had just flown in from outside the country) and gave a good explanation of the history of Johennesburg, Apartheid, and Soweto. Definitely recommend!”

Check availability →Read our full review

13.ROBBEN ISLAND MUSEUM TOUR, WITH OPTIONAL LAST MINUTE TICKETS

★★★★★★★★★★3.4 · 85 reviews · 4 hours · from $90

Take a shared ferry from Cape Town to Robben Island, then tour the prison, Mandela’s cell, Sobukwe’s house, and the limestone quarry with a former political prisoner. The $90 package includes transport and guide fees, but you must claim the original boarding ticket before departure.

“Medise was our guide on the bus, he really is an exceptional inspirational guide to have. Glad we made the tour while there are still ex-prissonars to share their own personal experience with us. It was a humbling experience.”

Check availability →Read our full review

14.Half-Day Apartheid Museum Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 73 reviews · 5 hours · from $49

Spend three guided hours at Johannesburg’s Apartheid Museum, moving through 22 exhibit areas on the road from apartheid’s rise to Nelson Mandela’s 1994 election. Your English-speaking guide, such as Mark, Bongani, Tshepo, or James, handles hotel transfers and adds useful context along the way.

“Guy was an excellent tour guide, who stayed with us throughout the tour. He gave us good time to explore the thought provoking museum and lots of interesting information. He was friendly and answered all of our questions about South Africa as first time visitors. Would definitely recommend this trip!”

Check availability →Read our full review

15.Pretoria, Soweto & Apartheid Museum Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 48 reviews · 7 hours · from $186

Spend seven hours tracing South Africa’s past from the Voortrekker Monument and Union Buildings to Soweto’s Mandela House and Hector Pieterson Museum. An English-speaking guide such as Marvin, Ali, Nic or John can add useful local context, while entry fees, snacks and water are included.

“The only negative aspect was the time spent inside the Pretoria monument - 1 hour, in comparison to the time spent at the Aparthaid museum - 30 minutes”

Check availability →Read our full review