South African National Gallery in Cape Town

About South African National Gallery

Lying in the heart of Cape Town in the Company's Garden, opposite the South African Museum on Government Avenue, the South African National Gallery houses some of the most beautiful collections of South African, African, British, French, Dutch and Flemish art in South Africa.

Did you know? The gallery is open Monday to Sunday. A nominal entry fee is payable and there are parking facilities, access for disabled people, a gift shop and conference facilities.

The National Gallery's permanent collection, which includes art from the colonial to the contemporary, is regularly rotated so that there is a full programme of temporary exhibitions of paintings, photography, sculpture, architecture, beadwork, textiles and works on paper. These are supplemented with visiting exhibitions. The South African National Gallery's only reserve is the lack of traditional pre-colonial work, because of under funding and the high prices of Western art.

At the same time, very little in the way of emerging art in South Africa during the 1980s was acquired while under apartheid, so the gallery has made an attempt to fill this gap in its collection.

Since 1990 it has worked to set up a collection that celebrates the expressive cultures of the African continent, and it now has a respected collection of beadwork and indigenous sculpture. The Bead Society of Southern Africa was launched at the gallery in 1999, motivated by a need for a society in the south of Africa - there is one in Ghana and others exist all over the world - particularly as beadwork is the main means of aesthetic expression of women in South Africa.

The South African National Gallery began with a presentation of some 45 paintings by Thomas Butterworth Bayley in 1871, and since then has grown to one of international stature with wonderful examples of South African, African and Western European art.

Need to Know

WhereThe South African National Gallery, Government Avenue, Company's Garden, Cape Town Central, Cape Town, South Africa

WhenThe gallery is open Monday to Sunday from 10h00 to 17h00.

Telephone+27 (0)21 481-3970

OvernightStay in Cape Town Accommodation, Western Cape

Disclaimer

Please note, business details can change. While we endeavour to ensure all information provided by the service provider is correct at the time of publication, we do not assume any liability caused by errors or changes, such as price, cost, time, and location. Please check with the provider that the activity/business is still offered as described, before making any travel plans.

Feedback?

If this is your attraction, you can let us know if anything on this page is outdated or contains inaccuracies, by email. We regret, we do not have any other information, please contact the provider if you have questions.

Additional Reading

Also See These Attractions

Landmarks / Museums / National Monuments

Castle of Good Hope

A unique combination of history, fine wine, traditional food, military ceremonies and craftsmanship awaits you at this pentagonal fortification. Built between 1666 and 1679, the Cape Town Castle is the oldest surviving building in South Africa. The ...

Find out more

Landmarks

De Tuynhuys

Tuynhuys, the office of the state President and closed to the public, witnessed one of the most important turning points in South African history when FW de Klerk announced from its steps, on 18 March 1992, that South Africa had ‘closed the book on ...

Find out more

Landmarks / Mandela Route

Houses of Parliament

The city of Cape Town, despite not being the capital of South Africa, is home to South Africa's Parliament - Cape Town is the legislative capital, whilst the seat of government is in Pretoria, the administrative capital - which is one of the biggest draw ...

Find out more