Cape Town

Historical medical museum showcasing the medical history of the Cape, emphasizing both western and traditional medicine. The Cape Medical Museum, established as a provincial museum in 1986, is housed in the historic residence of the Medical Superintendent of the City Hospital, built in 1904, within the Old City Hospital Complex in Green Point, Cape Town. This fascinating institution traces the evolution of medical practice at the Cape from the Dutch East India Company's arrival in 1652 through to modern scientific medicine, emphasizing both Western and traditional African healing methods. The museum features meticulously reconstructed turn-of-the-century medical spaces including a Victorian dentist's surgery, a fully equipped pharmacy dispensary filled with hundreds of historic potion bottles, an operating theatre complete with period surgical instruments, and a doctor's consulting room. Notable exhibits include traditional Sangoma healing practices with medicinal plants still used today, artifacts related to Christiaan Barnard's pioneering heart transplant work at nearby Groote Schuur Hospital, and displays showcasing how indigenous knowledge contributed to early pharmaceutical developments at the Cape Colony. The museum also features an interactive activity room designed for educational programs aligned with South Africa's National School Curriculum, making complex medical history accessible to visitors of all ages. Currently undergoing renovations to include new exhibitions on Cape Town's medical history and contemporary medical developments, the museum offers guided tours and serves as a venue for medical conferences and educational presentations.