Cape Town Art Destinations for your To Do list

In a city rich with art makers and art lovers alike, it can be overwhelming to navigate the Cape Town art scene: to put it simply, there is just so much to see and do. The city is bursting with galleries, museums, projects, and events which reflect the wide range of art interests and talents Cape Town has to offer. We’ve put together a guide listing notable art destinations that are worth the visit, including some of the established names that are easily recognisable, as well as newer spaces exploring ideas changing the art world as we know it.

From engaging in the local conversations involved in the city’s social tapestry, to the political issues experienced nation-wide, to the necessary discussions sweeping through global cultures: Cape Town’s art spaces are holding them all, and doing it in a way that is inspiring, conscious, and proudly Capetonian, South African, and African.

Top Cape Town Art Spaces to Check Out

Stevenson Gallery

Stevenson is a Woodstock-based contemporary gallery which also has spaces in Johannesburg and Amsterdam. It hosts solo and group exhibitions which engage with contemporary art practices relating to regional matters specific to South Africa, as well as its relation to the rest of Africa and its diaspora.

In addition to giving local artists access to the international art community, the gallery’s FOREX programme, started in 2009, has brought the work of international artists such as Dutch photographer Rineke Dijkstra, Swiss multimedia artist Thomas Hirschhorn, and American conceptual artist Glenn Ligon to South Africa: often for the first time.

A cornerstone of Stevenson is an active publication programme which includes catalogues for many of its exhibitions and artists. These publications are also available online, and the catalogues remain a valuable reference point for curators and art historians.

Art fairs are particularly important to the gallery: it has participated in the likes of Paris Photo, Art Basel, Frieze London, and others.

Cost: Free admission

Where: Stevenson Gallery Cape Town, Buchanan Building, 160 Sir Lowry Rd, Woodstock, Cape Town
When: Mon to Fri, 9am to 5pm | Sat, 10am to 1pm | Sun, Closed

SMAC Galleries

SMAC is a well-renowned name in the Cape Town (and indeed South African) art community. As an internationally recognised contemporary art gallery, SMAC has multiple spaces worth a visit: it offers galleries based in Stellenbosch, and Cape Town. Excitingly, its new flagship gallery in Cape Town CBD opened very recently. Operating in the new space since the end of 2023, this gallery is easy to access in the heart of the city, and is located within the collection of participating First Thursdays galleries.

Originally established in the easily-accessible Winelands town of Stellenbosch, SMAC is a long-standing presence within South Africa’s art conversations. The gallery manages a dynamic programme of exhibitions, as well as curatorial projects, which focus upon contemporary artistic discourses. Additionally, it supports and advances a series of collaborative projects with local and international institutions and artists.

Perhaps less known, SMAC also maintains an active publishing initiative: ensuring the literary footprints of vital artistic conversations are nurtured to continue. Exhibitions are sometimes accompanied by catalogues, monographs and books. The gallery also regularly presents large-scale historical exhibitions and ventures that offer a critical re-evaluation of South African art history within a global dialogue.

SMAC participates in international art fairs such as The Armory Show, ARTISSIMA and Art Brussels, as well as the Investec Cape Town Art Fair closer to home.

Both Cape Town and Stellenbosch galleries are open six days a week, and are open to the public with no admission charge. Appointments can also be made for visits.

Cost: Free admission

Goodman Gallery

Goodman Gallery is a long-standing hero in critical art conversations and political activisim in apartheid and post-apartheid South Africa. Originally started in 1966, the gallery is known for showing artists of all races, regardless of divisive apartheid laws, and continues this trajectory with its showcasing of art locally and, these days, internationally.

Based in De Waterkant area in a decommissioned church, Goodman Gallery Cape Town makes up one of four locations. The other three are Johannesburg, London, and New York. Since Liza Essers became owner and director in 2008, the gallery roster has grown by more than 30 international artists, with a focus on women from the African Diaspora and beyond.

The gallery nurtures a global programme working with prominent and emerging international artists whose work engages in a dialogue with African and post-colonial contexts.Visitors can expect perspectives and stories hailing from a diverse range of subjects and their experiences.

Critical to Goodman Gallery’s international initiative, has been the ongoing curatorial programme entitled ‘In Context’, which explores tensions of place and belonging. This holds true in its initiative ‘South-South’, which considers connections between artists from the global south. Goodman Gallery’s expansion to its locations in London and New York furthers this mission to confront dominant historical narratives and to contribute to contemporary art discourse and social repair.

Cost: Free admission

Where: Goodman Gallery Cape Town, 37A Somerset Rd, De Waterkant, Cape Town
When: Tues to Fri, 9am to 5pm | Sat 9am to 2pm

Zeitz MOCAA

Zeitz MOCAA is an impressive museum housed in a repurposed grain silo near Cape Town’s working harbour. The not-for-profit public institution is the first major museum on the African continent which features contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora.

The museum features a rotating selection of temporary exhibitions, as well as a space for its permanent collection. Zeitz MOCAA is involved in a variety of different projects and initiatives beyond just its exhibitions, including a notable education programme, discussions and cultural events.

In line with its striving toward more accessibility in the art world, African citizens enjoy free entry every Wednesday with arrival between 10am and 1pm, and on presentation of a valid ID or passport.

Guests can browse the museum’s shows while marvelling at its monumental architecture, which is very much an attraction in itself. This reimagined grain silo complex is an inspirational combination of contemporary design fit for a museum, while keeping the bones that keep the building’s history and heritage in plain sight to be celebrated.

Cost: Daily admission R250 per adult | Kids under 18 receive free entry | Every Wednesday African citizens get free entry between 10am and 1pm on presentation of valid ID or passport | Entrance on any day in guests’ birthday month guarantees free entry with presentation of a valid ID

Where: Zeitz MOCAA, V&A Waterfront Silo District, South Arm Road, Cape Town
When: Mon to Sun, 10am to 6pm | Last entry at 5.30pm

Norval Foundation

Located in the Steenberg area of Cape Town, adjacent to Table Mountain National Park, the Norval Foundation offers art exhibitions with global appeal, alongside a truly breathtaking sculpture garden.

The museum’s garden, outdoor amphitheatre, purpose-built exhibition spaces and research library are situated within a unique setting that offers visitors a multi-sensory experience.

Located nearby Cape Town’s Constantia winelands area, the museum offers guests a memorable art experience with views of nearby mountains and vineyards. This is complemented by a sophisticated restaurant and bar, a bespoke shop and a children’s playground.

The Norval Foundation aims to create high-quality exhibitions and public programming to broaden the understanding of the visual arts. It is also the custodian of the The Homestead Collection, Gerard Sekoto Foundation, the Edoardo Villa Estate Collection, and the Alexis Preller Archive. Through these various initiatives, the museum places great emphasis on celebrating modern and contemporary art from the African continent, as well as its diaspora.

Tailored, private tours of the Foundation and its exhibition are available for booking here.

Cost: Day passes for African nationals 25+ R200 | Day passes for international visitors 25+ R300 | Student day passes R100 with presentation of valid student ID

Where: Norval Foundation, 4 Steenberg Road, Tokai, Cape Town
When: Wed to Sat, 10am to 5pm | Sun and Public Holidays, 10am to 4pm | Last admission 30 mins before closing

Christopher Moller Gallery

The Christopher Moller Art Gallery specialises in contemporary art, particularly from the African continent. The gallery is run by a team of curators and art collectors, who specialise in offering guests and clients with facilitated buying processes that connect the artist with the viewer.

The gallery showcases select South African masters including painters Aldo Balding, Sibusiso Duma, Jaco Roux, Nora Newton and Cecil Skotnes as well as sculptors Andre Stead and Barry Jackson, and hugely popular photographers Tony Gum and Tsoku Maela.

Moller also invests considerable time and skill in wooing artists from further afield, including the internationally renowned Ghanaian octogenarian Professor Ablade Glover, Ethiopian painter Nigatu Tsehay and, more recently, Nigerian artist Dennis Osadebe.

The Christopher Moller Art Gallery also hosts regular exhibitions, and participates in both local and international art fairs.

Where: Christopher Moller Gallery, 7 Kloofnek Road, Cape Town
When: Tues to Fri, 10am to 4pm | Mon & Sat, Viewings by appointment | Sun, Closed

Everard Read Cape Town & Winelands

Everard Read galleries are specialists in contemporary art from South Africa and the diaspora. Its original gallery was established in 1913 in Johannesburg, making it Africa’s oldest commercial art galleries, with exhibition spaces in London, Johannesburg, Cape Town and Franschhoek.

An additional CIRCA Cape Town space was unveiled in November 2016 across the road from Everard Read Cape Town’s existing gallery. This allowed Everard Read to maximise its capacity and expand its exhibition schedule to include a further four formal gallery spaces and an outside sculpture garden.

A close dialogue between all of the Everard Read and CIRCA spaces ensures that the galleries have access to paintings, sculptures and new media works from abroad and around the sub-continent. They also interface with international galleries and participate in national and international art fairs.

Everard Read/CIRCA’s solo and group exhibition programmes are often accompanied by publications showcasing established contemporary artists as well as younger, emerging generations. Whilst artists from the UK, Europe, Japan and the US are exhibited, the gallery retains a core rotation of South African artists producing modern and contemporary art.

Guests can visit Everard Read in Cape Town and in Franschhoek – the perfect accompaniment to a day spent in the Winelands. Out in Franschoek, Everard Read has two spaces to visit: one is found in the town’s central area, and the other is at Leeu Estates.

Cost: Free admission

Where: Cape Town: Everard Read Cape Town is located at 3 Portswood Road, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town | CIRCA is found at Ulundi House, Portswood Square, Portswood Ridge, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town.
Franschhoek: Everard Read Franschhoek, 20 Huguenot Road, Franschhoek | Everard Read at Leeu Estates, Dassenberg Road, Franschhoek.

Southern Guild

Southern Guild represents contemporary artists from Africa and its diaspora, with a particular focus on principles of community and collaboration. Started in 2008 by Trevyn and Julian McGowan, the Guild is located in the V&A Waterfront’s Silo District, in addition to a fairly recently-opened space in Los Angeles, USA.

Alongside its programme of local and international exhibitions, Southern Guild liaises with clients and collectors, overseeing projects involving architectural intervention, interior design and the commissioning of custom works.

A common thread uniting its designers across mediums is a commitment to showcase African materials, motifs, traditions and techniques. It aims to elevate the role of craft, honouring indigenous traditions of making by hand, whilst seeking out new applications of them.

The gallery showcases award-winning limited-edition and once-off pieces that draw the attention of collectors, auction houses and museums. Southern Guild’s curatorial programme continues to shape perceptions of African design and forge a unique vernacular in the international arena. It premieres only original work at the intersection of art and design.

Guests can anticipate the remarkable works from artists such as Manyaku Mashilo, Zanele Muholi, Patrick Bongoy, and Terence Maluleke.

Cost: Free Admission

Where: Southern Guild, Silo 5, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town
When: Mon to Fri, 9am to 5.30pm | Sat 10am to 2pm | Sun & public holidays, Closed

Association for Visual Arts (AVA)

The Association for Visual Arts (AVA) is a non-profit, membership-based arts organisation with the mission of advancing and promoting South African contemporary art and artists. It does it by showcasing all media: from painting to ceramics, photography, installations and performance.

Based in central Cape Town since 1971, the AVA Gallery is the oldest non-profit gallery in Cape Town. From their annual open call, the AVA curates over 25 group and solo exhibitions per year at their gallery space.

The AVA occupies a crucial place in the arts ecosystem, supporting established and emerging artists and art lovers through offering exciting exhibitions, cultural interaction, walkabouts, and various other art activities. Most of the artworks are for sale.

In 2001 the AVA formed a partnership with Spier, who became its major sponsor through the donation of the AVA’s premises. This partnership has secured the continuation of the AVA’s role in arts development and a selection committee endeavours to bolster the discursive and experimental nature of contemporary art.

Cost: Free admission

Where: Association for Visual Arts (AVA), 25 Church St, Cape Town
When: Mon to Fri, 10am to 5pm | Sat, 10am to 1pm | Sun, Closed

Iziko South African National Gallery

This iconic public art museum offers a rich offering of historical, modern and contemporary South African, African and international artworks. The gallery has an impressive Permanent Collection, which is regularly rotated to offer guests fresh perspectives and offerings through temporary exhibitions of different mediums. These include paintings, paper works, photography, sculpture, beadwork, textiles and architecture.

This art space gives guests a good insight into the dense history of South Africa’s visual arts identity, and the broad range of creative making that has occurred through the country’s different chapters of the past.

Located in the heart of the Company’s Gardens in Cape Town, this is a particularly good destination to include in a visit through the green walkways of the gardens. It is the perfect combination of historic and contemporary moments within the same space.

Cost: Standard Fees for Adults and Children R60 | Valid SA ID / SADC Identification Adults R40, Children 5 to 17 R20, SA Pensioners and students R20 and free entry on Fridays

Where: The Iziko South African National Gallery, Government Ave, Gardens, Cape Town
When: Mon to Sun, 9am to 5pm

WHATIFTHEWORLD Gallery

WHATIFTHEWORLD is a popular destination for curators and collectors looking for innovative contemporary African work, be it installations, drawings, sculpture or performance pieces.

With its strong focus on Africa and the African diaspora, WHATIFTHEWORLD represents artists who engage with global contemporary art and socio-political contexts. The gallery is dedicated to showing resolute solo projects and multi-disciplinary installations with a guiding philosophy in creating an environment that allows artists the freedom to create memorable work.

Founded in 2008, the gallery regularly participates in art fairs. These include Armory Show, 1 to 54, and Untitled. Their artists also exhibit in prominant exhibitions and biennials, including the 57th and 55th Venice Biennial; The Havana Biennial, Cuba; and Le Biennial de Dakar, Senegal.

Located just off the city’s bustling Bree street, WHATIFTHEWORLD houses an exciting art stop in the heart of Cape Town.

Cost: Free Admissions

Where: WHATIFTHEWORLD Gallery, 16 Buiten St, Cape Town City Centre
When: Mon to Thurs, 9am to 5pm | Fri, 9am to 4pm | Sat, 9am to 1pm

THK Gallery

Located just outside Cape Town’s vibrant De Waterkant neighbourhood, THK Gallery offers a selection of contemporary art exhibitions which focus on the development of contemporary visual art forms rooted in Africa and the Global South.

The gallery has a second location in Cologne, Germany. THK looks to provide an art conversation space that promotes thinking outside of the box, and against the status quo.

Visitors can expect to see exhibitions featuring art made in the spirit of seeking alternative ways of thinking and being, within the continent’s socio-political contexts.

The gallery represents artists including Johno Mellish, Lerato Motaung, Lulama Wolf, and Nonzuzo Gxekwa.

Cost: Free admissions

Where: THK Gallery, 52 Waterkant St, Cape Town
When: Tues to Fri, 10am to 5pm | Sat, 10am to 2pm

EBONY/CURATED

EBONY/CURATED was established in 2007 in Franschhoek, and in 2011 a second gallery was opened in central Cape Town, on Loop Street.

The Cape Town space is dedicated to exhibiting a program of contemporary and modern African art representing a core group of emerging and established artists. These artists are either from the continent or have historic links to the greater African diaspora.

In 2017 a third gallery was opened in Franschhoek which focuses on both contemporary works and masters from the continent. Fine art on view includes paper works, ceramics, photography, painting and sculpture.

The EBONY/CURATED team also designs furniture combining honed woods with stainless steel, fabrics and animal hides. They showcase compatible pieces by other like-minded leading furniture designers from across the country.

Cost: Free admissions

Where: EBONY/CURATED Cape Town, 67 Loop St, Cape Town | EBONY/CURATED Franschhoek, 4 Bordeaux St, Franschhoek, & EBONY/CURATED Franschhoek, 4 Franschhoek Square, Huguenot St, Franschhoek
When: Cape Town Mon to Fri, 9am to 5pm, Sat, 9.30am to 1pm | Franschhoek locations Mon to Sat, 9.30am to 6pm | Sun, 9.30am to 5pm