South African Naval Museum

Simon’s Town Navy museum is easy to miss despite the large billboard advertising its presence. The reason is that there’s a discreet entrance and limited parking which means you will probably drive past it before you’re aware. The navy base will redirect you and you will park along the road and enter the museum through a pedestrian gate. Once you’re in though, you’re in for a treat as this is an amazing maritime museum that follows South African exploits in World War I and II. It’s also filled with war kit like torpedoes, helicopter, several ship guns, model ships, and – wait for it – a chapel. There was a lot of thought put into a number of the displays and it’s logically well-organised. It doesn’t hide the ugliness of war, and naval warfare in particular, but it’s brilliant. Shoutout to Officer Precious for her excellent guidance and help in the museum. Entrance is free, there’s a guestbook and you can buy original navy epaulettes. They close at 15:00

Great experience. It was worth the while to take the time to drive there. Great to see the history of the Navy.Visited onWeekendWait timeNo waitReservation recommendedNo

INCREDIBLE museum. Even if you aren't insured in naval history, this exquisitely curated place is worth your time. The volunteers running things have really some a magnificent job of bringing the past to life. And it's all free!

Just an amazing place full of wartime and naval pieces. You don’t need to like ships to enjoy that museum! Just an incredible experienceVisited onWeekdayWait timeNo waitReservation recommendedNo

The Future Sparks kids really enjoyed their outing to the museum! Talk was very informative and all sorts of questions about the displays, were well handled by a very knowledgeable and friendly staff!Visited onWeekendWait timeNo waitReservation recommendedNo

A definite must visit Entrance is free but donations are welcome The staff are so friendly and welcoming and so happy to share their knowledge with you. A large volume of history across the Navy, it’s well worth a visit Ship models and artificers abound

I appreciated the thoughtful attention curators devoted to exhibits at the SA Navy Museum. They managed to fit in many interesting artifacts of South Africa's unique naval history, from colonial days to post-apartheid. When I visited in mid-October I was the only visitor. As a US citizen and WWII buff, I was intrigued by South Africa's contributions during the war, including sinking a German U-boat and repairing a US cruiser damaged while fighting the Japanese in the Java Sea. Museum staff fit quite a bit into a small space, part of which is under an adjoining church, including many models of South African Navy ships, naval guns, and a navy helicopter. Well worth a visit if you are near Simons Town.

Borderline. Worth stopping by if you are doing a Simonstown day, but don’t plan your trip around it unless you are a fanatic of Naval history. Set aside 1,5hr for quick pop in. No entrance fee but donations welcome. Experience: Museum not clearly marked from road and no parking, use on street parking. Not wheelchair accessible with many stairs and uneven surfaces. Interesting and excellent collection of naval artefacts and history, but the exhibit is very dated and requires a lot of reading in a fairly uncoordinated manner. The media all feels old and hasn’t been updated since I was there as a child. No guides / audioguides. Wouldn’t need to return again until it’s all refreshed.

I have been to one other military related museum - Johannesburg military museum by zoo lake. It is more focused on land whereas this museum gave me such insight and appreciation towards the sea military. We actually went the day before, unknowingly 5 minutes before it was closing. Mark, I think was the name of the elderly and whom met us at the door and encouraged us to return the next day in the morning for more time to enjoy it and so we did. Even brought him a beer to say thank you for saving us from disappointment of possibly having to rush through an amazing and insightful experience. From submarines to plans, to vehicles and to room setups. It was such an insightful and fun experience and showed me that there is such a deep and prideful history in not only Simons Town but in their Naval military.

Great information free of charge, can buy a naval badge and climb the clock tower and kids they have a model led submarine and ship deck to let you see the space they worked in. Kids loved it!Visited onWeekendWait timeNo waitReservation recommendedNo