The list of Museums has been compiled with the idea of featuring museums in South Africa that have items of interest to quilters; such as fabrics, quilts, textiles, clothing, embroidery and lace as well as sewing equipment, carpets and furniture.
East London Museum
Very interesting museum with quilts and textiles amongst other cultural, natural and historical interest.
319 Oxford St, Belgravia
+27 (0)43 743 0686
Air Force Museum
based at the airport Historic collection of aircraft and aviation artefacts
Forest Hill Drive
+27 (0)41 505 1295
Bayworld Natural History Museum
Cultural history museum ajoins aquarium
23 Beach Rd, Humewood
+27 (0)41 584 065
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum
run by municipality
1 Park Dr, Port Elizabeth Central
+27 (0)41 506 2000
South End Museum
Relates to the forced removals and apartheid
Walmer Blvd & Humewood Rd, South End
1820 Settler Museum / Albany History Museum
Textiles, linen and memorabilia
40 Somerset Street
+27 (0)46 622 2312
Port Elizabeth Gqeberha Castle Hill Museum
Relates to mainly 1820 settlers
7 Castle Hill
+27 (0)41 582 2515
Visit Website
Prince Alfred Guard Military Museum
Military uniforms, flags and weapons, artefacts
Daly Street, Port Elizabeth Central
+27 (0)41 505 1521
Anglo Boer War Museum at Woman’s Memorial
Very pretty quilted Bonnets (Kappies)
Bloemfontein National Museum
Gorgeous quilts, kappies and wagon quilt
36 Aliwal St, Bloemfontein Central
+27 (0)51 447 9609
Freshford House Museum - part of National Museum
Late Victorian and Edwardian home filled with textiles, linen, sewing apparel and furniture
31 Kellner Street
+27 (0)51 430 0902
Oliewenhuis Art Museum
Exhibits various art - houses exhibitions of quilts at times
16 Harry Smith St, Dan Pienaar
+27 (0)51 011 0525
Bernberg Museum of Fashion
The displays at the Bernberg Museum of Fashion explain why and how clothing has changed and how the fashions of the past influence those of today.
In Museum Africa precinct
Museum Africa complex
Several museums and places of interest.
121 Bree Street Newtown Mary Fitzgerald Square
+27 (0)11 833 5624
The Art Room
Exhibit and sells textile art
Santos Centre, 4th Avenue + 7th Street, Parkhurst
+27 (0)11 880 0378
Ditsong National Museum of Cultural History
Collection of clothing, textiles and cultural items
Bosman St & Visagie Street
+27 (0)12 324 6082
Melrose House
The Peace Treaty of Vereeniging that ended the war was signed around the massive dining table on 31 May 1902.Victorian architecture, beautiful stained glass windows, carpets and textiles in rich colours, elegant fireplaces and valuable porcelain ornaments.
275 Jeff Masemola Street
+27 (0)12 322 0420
St Lorient Art Gallery
Contemporary fine art
492 Fehrsen Street, Brooklyn
+27 (0)66 274 2094
Visit Website
Voortrekker Monument
Tapestry and items of interest re Boer war and voortrekkers
Eeufees Rd, Groenkloof 358-Jr
+27 (0)12 326 6770
Vukani Zulu Cultural Museum
The largest and most valuable collection of Zulu crafts in the world. Zulu woven baskets, carvings and embroidery, wire and beadwork, pottery and clothing.
7 Nongqai St, Eshowe,
+27 (0)35 474 5274
Visit Website
Talana Museum
Collection of quilts items of embroidery and lace.
R33 Dundee
+27 (0)34 212 2654
Phansi Museum
A spectacular collection of Southern African arts, crafts and traditions. Beadwork, traditional dress, pottery
500 Esther Roberts Rd, Glenwood, Berea
+27 (0)31 206 2889
Alanglade House Museum
Items of interest in restored house
Pilgrims Rest village
Barberton Museum
History of mining the town
36 Pilgrim Street
+27 (0)13 712 4208
History & Motor Museum
Beautifully kept vintage cars
Castlebridge Farm
+27 (0)13 750-2196
Museum and Library
Cnr Gouws St + 25 Wolmerans Street
+27 (0)81 299 5070
President Pretorius Museum
Clothing, crochet, flags, china and memorabilia
Thabo Mbeki Way, Mooiriver
+27 (0)18 299 5037
McGregor Museum
Established in 1907. Clothing, uniforms, linen.
Atlas St, Herlear
+27 (0)53 839 2700
Iziko Museums
(Various addresses)
+27 (0)21 481 3800
Visit Website
Cultural History Museum
Items of cultural history, some textiles and fabrics
Iziko Slave Lodge Adderley Street
Iziko Museum Social History Centre
Very good collection of quilts, garments and textiles. Book for viewing.
17 Church Square
+27 (0)21 481 3800
Koopmans-de Wet House
Cape Furniture, curtains, carpets, fabrics and Collection of ceramics
35 Strand Street
+27 (0)21 418 3935
Old Town House
Paintings and textile drapery
149 Longmarket St, Greenmarket Square
+27 (0)21 481 3933
Bertram House
Exhibits textiles and items. Currently closed
Government Avenue, Gardens
Houses of Parliament
Keiskamma Tapestry
Rust en Vreugd
Gallery houses William Fehr private collection of artworks on paper i.e. watercolours, prints and drawings
78 Buitenkant Street
Bo Kaap Museum
Islamic culture and heritage. Mosque. Exhibitions.
71 Wale St, Bo-Kaap
Send Email
District Six Museum Homecoming Centre
Embroidered cloths and sewing equipment, history of the forced removals to the Cape flats.
Gold of Africa Museum
Gold and artefacts from Africa. Khente cloth
6 Strand Street
Castle of Good Hope, Military Museum
Military museum and home of Cape Town Highlanders
Darling & Buitenkant Streets
+27 (0)21 787 1260
The Heart of Cape Town Museum
Replica surgery rooms depicting the first heart transplant operation in 1967
Groote Schuur Hospital, Main Rd, Observatory
+27 (0)21 404 1967
UCT Irma Stern Museum
Paintings, furniture and textiles
21 Cecil Rd, Rosebank
+27 (0)21 650 7240
Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa MOCAA
The Silo’s, Cape Town Waterfront
Iziko Groot Constantia
Cape Dutch house. Patchwork cushions, cloths and textiles, furniture and kitchen ware
Groot Constantia Estate
Albertinia Museum
Artefacts and memorabilia of the town and local industries eg. Thatch and Aloe plant products
30 Stasie St, Albertinia
+27 (0)76 541 5811
Send Email
Bartolomeu Dias Museum
Display of quilt wall-hangings, ships and early maritime history
1 Market St, Mossel Bay
+27 (0)44 691 1067
Send Email
Visit Website
Drostdy Museum, Ou Pastorie
Collection of quilts, Sara Dreyer quilt, garments and embroideries, furniture and household ware.
2 Drostdy street, Swellendam
+27 (0)28 514 1138
Send Email
Visit Website
George Museum
Cultural artefacts and history re the wartime past. Timber history. Clothing bed linen and coverlets
9 Courtney St, Bo-dorp, George
+27 (0)44 873 5343
Send Email
Visit Website
Great Brak River Museum
Lacal history, tanning and leather industry, uniforms, clothing and bed linen
13 Amy Searle St, Greenhaven, Grootbrakrivier
+27 (0)44 620 3338
Send Email
Visit Website
Millwood House and Parkes Cottage
2 houses with patchwork and hand sewn articles and textiles.
Queen Street, Knysna
+27 (0)44 302 6320
Send Email
Visit Website
Beaufort-West Museum
89 Donkin St, Beaufort-West
+27 (0)23 415 2308
Send Email
C.P. Nel Museum
Ostich trade and local history Victorian furniture, carpet and textiles. China, clocks and sewing machines
3 Baron Van Reede St, Oudtshoorn
+27 (0)44 272 7306
Send Email
Visit Website
Calitzdorp Museum
Clothing, bonnets, crochet work, sewing machines
Van Riebeeck St, Calitzdorp
+27 (0)44 213 3414
Flood memorial
Tourism Complex, Meiring St, Laingsburg
+27 (0)23 551 1868
Fransie Pienaar Museum
Linen, Kappies, furniture and local history
42 Church St, Prince Albert
+27 (0)23 541 1172
Send Email
Montagu Museum and Joubert House
Quilt and interesting history of town and folks.
Transport Museum, Marie Rawdon Museum
Variety of transport vehicles. MRM - collection of Victorian bits and pieces
The Lord Milner Hotel, Matjiesfontein
+27 (0)23 561 3011
Visit Website
Caledon Museum
Embroidery and tatting and crochet.
Ship Wreck Museum
Ship wreck artefacts. Textiles are flags and bric-a-brac. Visit 3 buildings in the complex
6 Independent St, Bredasdorp
+27 (0)28 424 1240
Genadendal Mission Museum
Moravian mission buildings and history of the town and folk.
Church Square, Genadendal
+27 (0)28 251 8582
Send Email
Julius Gordon Africana Museum
History of Riversdale and the surrounding area. The museum contains implements used by the original inhabitants of the region. Large collection of Thomas Bowler paintings
Simon’s Town Warrior Toy museum
Toys: cars, dolls and model railway. Lead soldiers miniatures
1067 King George Way
Lourensford Wine Estate
Cape Dutch house and garden. Furniture and some linen and textiles.
Lourensford Rd, Vergelegen
+27 (0)21 847 2100
Stellenbosch Museum
4 historic homes in Stellenbosch depicting regional life and past history.
37 Ryneveld Street
+27 (0)21 887 2937
Stellenbosch Textile Museum
Collection of hand and machine made textiles. Embroideries and bed clothes and linen
Jubilee House, 126 Dorp Street
+27 (0)21 886 5064
Darling Museum
Butter museum and textile items
22 Pastorie St, Darling
Enid Viljoen
Enid Viljoen - Quilt Artist own work and collection of Roy Starke quilts
Clanwilliam
Send Email
Jan Danckaert Museum
Some interesting artefacts, sewing machines
26 Mark St, Porterville
+27 (0)22 931 3528
Ou Tronk Museum
Some clothing and textiles, Clanwilliam Quilt, sewing machines
Park Street, Clanwilliam
Ilse Lochner
+27 (0)73 613 8443
Send Email
Picketberg Museum
House and old synagogue. Some examples of embroidery
10 Kerk St, Piketberg
+27 (0)22 913 2177
Togryers Museum
Carriage and cart museum - examples and textiles
