Museums Western Cape Vaccinated

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA – OCTOBER 13: A general view of the District Six Museum in the Central Business District on October 13, 2020 in Cape Town, South Africa. It is reported that the institution has been affected financially by the COVID-19 pandemic and is therefore asking patrons to financially assist in any way they can to keep this iconic institution running. (Photo by Gallo Images/Jacques Stander)

Heritage Month: Those with vaccination cards will get FREE entry to museums

Those with vaccination cards, both fully and partially vaccinated, will receive free access to affiliated museums across the Western Cape.

Museums Western Cape Vaccinated

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA – OCTOBER 13: A general view of the District Six Museum in the Central Business District on October 13, 2020 in Cape Town, South Africa. It is reported that the institution has been affected financially by the COVID-19 pandemic and is therefore asking patrons to financially assist in any way they can to keep this iconic institution running. (Photo by Gallo Images/Jacques Stander)

Western Cape Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Anroux Marais, announced on Tuesday 31 August 2021, that all those who are vaccinated and in possession of cards will get free access to affiliated museums across the province as we kick off Heritage Month. 

Not to worry though, this applies to those who are both fully and partially vaccinated.  

FREE ACCESS TO THESE MUSEUMS…AS LONG AS YOU’RE VACCINATED 

Marais said visitors usually pay an entry fee to access museums, however, to encourage all to get vaccinated, the Western Cape Government is happy to waive the fee for the month of September in a bid to increase vaccination numbers.   

The following are free to those vaccinated for the month of September, Heritage Month, and there are 17 to choose from; 

Bartolomeu Dias (Mossel Bay);
Beaufort West Museum;
CP Nel Museum (Oudtshoorn);
Drostdy (Swellendam);
Genadendal Museum;
Great Brak River;
Hout Bay Museum;
Jan Danckaert (Porterville);
Montagu Museum;
Old Harbour (Hermanus);
Oude Kerk Volksmuseum (Tulbagh);
SA Fisheries (Laaiplek);
Stellenbosch Museum;
Togryer (Ceres); 
Wellington Museum; 
Wheat Industry (Moorreesburg); and 
Worcester Museum. 

THE IMPORTANCE OF HERITAGE MONTH 

Marais said that while they hope to promote affiliated museums through this campaign, they also commemorate National Heritage Month acknowledging that cultural heritage goes beyond that which we find in our built environment, such as buildings, towns and monuments. 

“It includes our overall collective traditions and inherited lived expressions through oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, festive events, language and crafts. Intangible cultural heritage is an important part of maintaining cultural diversity,” she said. 

“Our understanding of the intangible cultural heritage of our diverse communities helps foster social inclusion, intercultural dialogue and encourages mutual respect and creating new narratives and meaning,” she added. 

Marais has appealed to all members of the public to get their vaccination as soon as they can.

“The sooner we can reach our vaccination targets, the sooner we can start safely opening up more of the cultural sector, particularly the arts industry to allow us to slowly start returning to having live audiences at events. We must do this to support the live events, as well as our artists and sportspeople, in our province,” she said.