Galleries and Museums near Observatory
*Distances are shown as the crow flies and are not necessarily the actual travelling
distance.
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Rosebank - CT (2.2 km from Observatory) Irma Stern was a major South African artist who achieved national and international recognition in her lifetime.
Established in 1971, the museum is in fact the house of the late artist. The permanent collection at the Irma Stern Museum shows Irma Stern's development as an artist, with subject matter including exotic figures, portraits, lush landscapes and still lifes conveyed in a variety of media. Upstairs you'll find a collection of more commercial items by contemporary artists.
A temporary exhibition programme is arranged annually and visitors can enjoy the garden. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 10:00 to 17:00.
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Rondebosch (2.6 km from Observatory) The Baxter Theatre Centre provides an exciting forum for the celebration of life which is the essence of live theatre, music and dance. It is one of the major live theatre venues in Cape Town and has always been at the forefront of the performing arts both as a popular venue and as a leading producer.The Baxter Theatre Centre at the University of Cape Town endeavours to present and host the best of South African performing arts. The objective is to reflect the cultures of all the people of South Africa on our stages and in our galleries. The Baxter Theatre strives to present cutting-edge and major works from South Africa and masterpieces from the international repertoire. Since its opening in 1977 the complex has continued to provide a stage for all types of professional entertainment - music, drama, ballet, opera and intimate theatre. Even through the difficult years of racial segregation its doors remained open to everyone and it thrived, drawing on indigenous talent and creating a uniquely South African theatre tradition.
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Newlands (4.2 km from Observatory) Have you ever wondered how the Mother City got flour for her daily bread? Visit the Josephine Mill Museum for a trip back to a bygone era. This darling of the Cape Town Historical Society was restored in 1988. The fine iron waterwheel turning once again supplying the surrounding community with freshly milled, stone ground flour, just as it had done, for so many years before. Today the Mill is a fun destination that not only honours a precious piece of Cape History, but also respects the traditions of the community, an awareness of natural and organic living and responsibility to the environment.Plans to turn the museum from a small display of recovered artefacts into a stimulating exhibition of the stone milling process are well underway. A major challenge is to recreate the original watercourses to supply the waterwheel and harness the power of the Liesbeek River. Mill pundits and scholars alike will be offered a rare insight into the methods and equipment devised to industrialise the production of flour. The Mill Museum will offer an intriguing exhibition of stone milling in process, and showpiece the history of power and its evolution from water to steam to electricity - and back again.
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District Six (4.5 km from Observatory) An exciting new theatre in Cape Town’s legendary District Six, The Fugard, is home to the internationally acclaimed Isango Portobello Theatre Company - an exciting example of what can transpire when local talent and vision meets committed international support.The Fugard is located in the historic Sacks Futeran building with the original decommissioned Congregational Church Hall in Caledon Street as its entrance. The theatre is named in honour of Athol Fugard, South Africa’s greatest playwright who will be present at the inauguration. The 270 seat theatre complex, including a rehearsal studio, foyer space, dressing rooms and office space, is a transformation of two warehouse spaces and the original Congregational Church Hall.
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City Centre (5 km from Observatory) District Six was the name of the Sixth Municipal District of Cape Town, established in 1867. The museum acts as a reminder of the terrible forceful removal of the residents during South Africa's apartheid era.
District Six was marked as a white-only area in 1966 following the Group Areas Act in 1950. As a result, 60 000 people were forcibly moved out of their homes and resettled in the barren area known today as the Cape Flats. Homes were levelled with bulldozers, leaving little reminder that District Six ever existed.
Following South Africa's transition to democracy in 1994, the District Six Museum was founded to represent as a memorial to the people and their heritage, and to confront South Africa's dark past.
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City Centre (5.3 km from Observatory) Celebrate a cinema experience beneath the stars in the world's only rooftop trailer park at the Pink Flamingo Cinema.
Get your free pop-corn, candy cone and welcome drink with your ticket. Movies start at 19:00.
For private screenings call 021 424 7247.
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Gardens (5.5 km from Observatory) Home to some of the most beautiful collections, The South African National Gallery features art of South African, African, British, French, Dutch and Flemish origin.
Collections are regularly rotated so that there is always a full programme of temporary exhibitions, including paintings, photography, sculpture, architecture, beadwork, textiles and works on paper.
Open daily from 10:00 to 17:00.
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Bo-Kaap (5.7 km from Observatory) The Bo-Kaap is the historical Cape Town residential area of freed slaves and muslims following the abolition of slavery.
The Bo-Kaap Museum is located in Wale Street and acts as a cultural history museum, depicting the lifestyle of the nineteenth-century muslim family.
Open from Mondays to Saturdays from 10h00 to 17h00.
Children under 18 years enjoy free entrance.
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V and A Waterfront (5.7 km from Observatory) Located in the Clock Tower precinct of Cape Town's V & A Waterfront, Cape Town Diamond Museum pays tribute to the world's most precious gem.
Take a guided tour of the museum by a diamond professional, providing a unique opportunity to experience the wonderful world of diamonds and understand why the world’s most desired treasure has been met with such allure and fascination over the centuries.
Duration: 25-40 minutes. Maximum 10 adults per tour.
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City Centre (5.8 km from Observatory) The Iziko Planetarium is housed in the South African Museum building in Cape Town. The venue is a round celestial theatre, utilising a complex Minolta star machine and multiple projectors to transport the audience through the wonders of the universe.
Night skies are created within the dome, coupled with great audio to make the experience a unique and memorable one.
Opening hours:
Open all week;
Closed on Workers' Day, Christmas Day and the first Monday of every month.
Entry fee:
Adults (19 years and older): R25;
Children, students and SA Pensioners: R10.
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Green Point (5.8 km from Observatory) Open twice a week, the Cape Quarter Village Market is a lifestyle, European-inspired market that exhibits local goods and produce.
Within the centrally located mall of the Cape Quarter, when the market is up and running you'll find an al fresco venue surrounded by a myriad of shops, restaurants and speciality services. In terms of market food, there is a large choice to enjoy comprising delicious gourmet-style items. Live music is also a common attraction. On Saturdays you'll find the corner bar area open, offering a large selection of locally brewed beers on tap and wines.
When you've browsed the various vendors and ate your full, you can explore the rest of the mall at leisure.
There is plenty of underground parking available.
Open every Wednesday and Sunday, 10:00 to 15:00.
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V and A Waterfront (5.8 km from Observatory) The Chavonnes Battery Museum gives visitors a chance to experience the early history of Cape Town.
Learn more about the people who walked along this shoreline, the San and Khoi, the explorers and adventurers, slaves and settlers. Learn about the men and women who gave birth to our nation, find out why the British are called Limeys, and why the Cape was so important for ships on the spice and slave trade route. This is a unique and fun experience for all ages.
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Gardens (6 km from Observatory) The Little Theatre Complex is home to the University of Cape Town's drama and fine arts departments. The facility is actually three theatres with the Little Theatre ironically being the largest, providing seating for 240 people. The Intimate and Arena offer space for about 70-80 folk.
This trio offer a variety of delightful shows ranging from cutting-edge plays by critically acclaimed playwrights to work by emerging performers and students. A poster-plastered bar is popular for pre-show socialising.
+27 (0) 21 480 7129
Hiddingh Campus, Orange Street, Cape Town
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V and A Waterfront (6.1 km from Observatory) Sway your hips to great bands, live dance productions and storytelling or catch live action on the big screen.
The V&A Waterfront Amphitheatre is one of Cape Town's hottest stages, hosting live music and other entertainment that's free to visitors.
It's also a popular place for shopped out folk to grab some fresh air, rest weary feet and watch the bustling harbour activity.
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Camps Bay (10.3 km from Observatory) Pieter Toerien's beautifully intimate Theatre on the Bay offers all the latest and best shows in town. Theatre goers can enjoy a good mix of local and international drama, musicals, comedy, cabaret, music and dance.The theatre is also home to the Act I Theatre Café, a fabulous restaurant that is open for dinner before and after the shows. Enjoy a pre-show drink at the Coffee Lounge or the theatre bar. Dietrich's Bar, in the main foyer, is also open after each performance, so you can round off your evening by joining the actors for a nightcap.Need to know? Individual, credit card bookings for Theatre on the Bay can be made by calling +27 (0) 21 438-3300, or visit the Computicket site at www.computicket.com Outlet/Box Office Hours: Monday: 9.30am - 5pm, Tuesday to Saturday: 9.30am - start of show
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Hout Bay (17.1 km from Observatory) Sembach Art Gallery was established in 1995 and is situated in Hout Bay. It specialises in contemporary South African art, particularly from the Western Cape community.
The gallery boasts a comprehensive range of paintings in different media as well as stone and bronze sculpture ceramics. There is also a breathtaking display of photography and African artifacts from the sub-Saharan region.
This gallery truly represents the unique talent and style of African art, so be sure to give it a visit while you're in Hout Bay.
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Hout Bay (17.5 km from Observatory) Hout Bay Art Gallery was established in 1984 and is situated in the seaside suburb of Hout Bay. This vibrant and inspiring gallery boasts a variety of contemporary creations by many talented artists and sculptors.
The artworks on display include paintings, photographs and sculptures by prominent South African artists such as David Kuijers, Anastasia Sarantinou, and Paul Du Toit. The gallery is open Mondays to Fridays from 10:00 until 17:00, Saturdays and Sundays 11:00 until 17:00 and 12:00 until 17:00 on public holidays.
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Muizenberg (18.9 km from Observatory) Considered a cultural gem in the heart of Muizenberg, the Masque Theatre is home to a handful of amateur dramatic societies in Cape Town.
The Masque regularly delivers diverse and well-performed theatre and dance shows at affordable prices. This popular institution in the South Peninsula staged its hundredth production in 2008 with Agatha Christie's courtroom drama "Witness for the Prosecution".
Booking office open Monday to Friday 09:00 – 16:00 and Saturday 08:30 – 11.30.
+27 (0) 21 788 1898
www.masquetheatre.co.za
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Tyger Valley (19.5 km from Observatory) Friendship, good food, wine and brilliant entertainment – this is where it all comes together. The Mother City's first Barnyard Theatre is situated in Willowbridge Shopping Centre. This is a dinner theatre at its best, offering excellent live entertainment including rock shows, musicals, bands and revues.
The Barnyard started as a homely, rustic farm theatre in Plettenberg Bay where friends and family could be entertained and eat, drink and talk into the small hours of the morning. It proved to be such a winner that more Barnyard Theatres started popping up all over the country.
There are currently 12 Barnyard Theatres in South Africa. While each theatre is a product of its individual setting, they all retain the quaint rustic charm of the original farm theatre’s humble beginning.
To book, visit the bookings office at the theatre or call central reservations (0) 21 914 8898.
Shop F09 1st Floor, Willowbridge Life Style Centre, 39 Carl Cronje Drive, Tygervalley.