The South African Museum's vast collections of natural history and anthropological objects document all forms of life, living and extinct, from southern Africa.
The South African Museum was founded in 1825. In 1897 the Museum moved to its present building in the historic Company's Garden. Since then millions of visitors have wandered its halls and corridors to be stimulated and inspired by its collections and exhibitions. They have left the Museum with a better understanding of the earth and its biological and cultural diversity, past and present.
Today, 175 years later, the SAM enjoys a wide reputation as a leading research and educational institution. Its vast collections of natural history and anthropological objects document all forms of life, living and extinct, from southern Africa, and the material cultural heritage of our indigenous populations back to their earliest origins.
The Museum is visited annually by about 400 000 people, and is one of Cape Town's major tourist attractions. It is funded by an annual grant from the Department of Arts Culture Science and Technology.
