SLAVE LODGE - SA CULTURAL MUSEUM

About the Slave Lodge

The Slave Lodge is one of the oldest buildings in Cape Town. The many names of the building over three centuries – Slave Lodge, Government Offices Building, Old Supreme Court, and SA Cultural History Museum – reflect the long and rich history of the building.

Exciting changes are planned for this site, including the transformation of the entrance hall. Popular exhibitions such as the Memory Centre can still be visited during this process.

An informative brochure entitled “Slaves at the Cape: Oppression, Life and Legacy” is now available. The brochure provides visitors with an overview of the history of slavery at the Cape.

The Slave Lodge plays host to the ‘Iziko Freedom Project 2007 – 2008’, a programme of events and activities focused on the abolition of the slave trade in the British Empire in 1807 and the subsequent rebellion of the slaves at the Cape in 1808. For details contact Fiona Clayton, Tel. 021 464 1268 or email fclayton@iziko.org.za

History of the Slave Lodge

The Slave Lodge was built in 1679 as the slave lodge of the Dutch East India Company. It is believed that up to 9000 slaves, convicts and the mentally ill lived in the building between 1679 and 1811. The Iziko website The Heritage of Slavery in South Africa gives details of the slave period in the history of the building.

In 1810 the building was modified to serve as government offices. Various governmental offices were housed in the building during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, for example, the Governor’s Advisory Council, the upper house of the first parliament, The Cape Supreme Court, the first library, the first post office, Deeds Office, and the Women’s Auxiliary Services of the South African Defence Force. The building was restored in 1960 for use as a cultural history museum.

The Slave Lodge, then known as the SA Cultural History Museum, opened its door as a museum on 6 April 1966. The SA Cultural History Museum, originally a division of the SA Museum, became an autonomous museum in 1969. In 1998 the building was renamed the Slave Lodge. In 2000, the museum and its associated sites amalgamated with its parent body as well as the SA National Gallery, the William Fehr Collection and the Michaelis Collection to form Iziko Museums of Cape Town.

Hours

Open Monday to Saturday: 10:00 - 17:00
Closed Sundays, Workers Day and Christmas Day

Entrance fees

Facilities
Parking: No
Disabled access: Yes
Shop: No
Café: No
Conference facilities: Yes