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.

Loved it there. So much history. We did our donation but was soooooo refreshing to be able to view something and there is no demand ob entrance fee when everywhere else in Cape Town you have to pay fortunes just to see God created nature

This museum has much to offer displaying the rich naval history of South Africa. The content is amazing and enough to keep one busy for hours. It is well worth visiting.

Closed due to covid and staff shortages. Was very dissappointed tot to be able to enter

Great exploring our history. Little kids were even entertained looking at all the boats fire engines and even a helicopter.

We came all the way from Robertson to visit the Naval Museum as part of Marcos birthday wish. It was a wonderful experience and the staff was very friendly. We visited various naval and military museums - even in Portugal and Azores Islands, but the Naval Museum in Simons Town is by far superior in offering a variety of interactive displays. We had high expectations, but we were nevertheless pleasantly surprised by the offering. I can really recommend this to all military and history enthusiasts. We will visit again!PS.1) Remember to take cash with you to make a donation towards the upkeep of the museum.2) You can buy some of the military history books or some badges for the children too.3) There are no disabled friendly entrances or passages.4) There is parking at the back of the museum, but entry is through the main street pedestrian gate. Follow the yellow footstep markings from the pedestrian gate to get to the entrance of the museum.5) The notice on the door at the back of the museum says it is only open on Mondays to Thursdays, BUT it is indeed open every day. It was very confusing.

I love this place. I felt at home, everything is just nyc and clean, no people to monitor you like u are a thief, no useless rules and that helps a lot because no one will think to break anything but to protect everything.

What a super cool place. For a free entrance I wasnt expecting much, but it was really nice. Warrant Officer Zeeman is so passionate about his job and gave us a lot of information.

Well kept and informative. A must visit site.

I wish Id gone here sooner. The museum has such a rich history regarding the navy and south Africa itself. There are pictures, actual objects, and tons of explanations to keep you absorbed into learning. It is free to enter and the receptionist is super friendly. It is also suitable for all ages.

Its a must to visit the Navy museum in Simons Town when youre in taking in the sights of Simons Town. The museum reflects and highlights the history of the navy over the years and up to current times. Its very well laid out and very informative. There is lots to take in and the staff are very friendly and knowledgeable about the Navys role past and present. Its a very nice place to visit. With the current Covid pandemic its best to call if they open or closed.

This museum is a gem in the middle of Simonstown. Interesting snippets into South African naval and general history. My favorite feature are the beams in the bell tower that were taken from sailing ships of old and have the names of their donors written on them. Its interesting to think of a mighty oak beam being fitted to a sailing ship in 1836 now being used to hold the roof up in 2017.

So much history. Spend some time there and give a generous donation.

Highly recommend visiting here. Even if you are not into this kind of stuff, I guarantee you will still develop an appreciation. Very well set up, kind people and just incredible.

The displays are very interesting and the history of the the SA Navy well depicted. They also have a Chapel with beautiful murals of the Navy walls.The time spent at the museum was very well spent.

Very clean and interesting. Thank you!

Awesome place to learn about some South African history, lots of fun adventuring activities and feels like a flash to the past.

Excellent experience

A great piece of our countries history. I learned a lot today. Entering the museum you are met by one of the navy personel and he was extremely friendly explaining to us that the museum is free entry amd what we will see and do. He welcomes questions and answers. It is so worth to see what south africa has today and they had many years ago.worth a visit

Interesting museum of maritime and war history. It is free to visit and large, so it is easy to spend a couple of hours here if your interest is engaged.

Was educational and I learnt a lot. Nice for the whole family and its free.

SA Naval Museum is worth the visit. Free entrance, but a donation is welcome! Rich history including beautiful Chapel

No entry fee but a donation would be appreciated. Wonderful experience and tour. Lots of interesting exhibits of maritime history. Friendly, welcoming staff at the reception. Thank you Mr Zeeman!!

This is one of the best museums in the country. Really enjoyed the visit and the exhibits. Learned a lot.

Friendly staff and interesting exhibits. I didn’t realise how close World War II was to South Africa, and have a new appreciation for the brave men and women who defended our country.

This place can tell you a lot of information more than a day.

A wonderful museum with a good mix of exhibits from small models to lots of actual equipment and vehicles. Fantastic for kids.

So much history, great for a tour with the kids to teach them about past and present. Scary but fun bomb shelter

Well displayed. Nice place to visit

Really surprised at the collection here. If you love WWI and II then youll really love this spot 👌

The meseum entrance sits on the side of the road and is easy to miss. Free entrance since they only work on donations. There is a lot to see and the exibitions are all in good condition. Definitly worth the visit.

I love musiums and this was my favorite

Sea the brutal history of SA Navy and Naval warfare.Beautiful, hand crafted models. From battleships to submarines to an actual Submarine hunting helicopter, theyve got it all.

Very interesting, such great experience. Better than we thought!!

Very nice. Busy with renovations. But a must visit

A real secret gem. There is no entry fee hit had so much to see and my toddler loved the simulated submarines and control rooms. We stopped there for about an hour and was worth the visit. We were happy to give a donation.

My grandson, loves this place. Says it is his favorite museum.Every time we learn something new.

No entry fee, just donation box. Interesting experience. Wish the overall area was more interactive, would be nice to have a guided walk out to the F147 & Submarine in the Harbour. Lovely welcoming staff. Cool place

The South African Naval Museum is a fun and informative family outing. Worth a visit.

Excellent free exhibition, well worth a visit.

Great exhibits, well kept

Excellent museum. Very informative.

Very informative about the South African Navy.

Was very interesting and entrance was free, just an optional donation.

Absolutely Amazing place to Visit ! Do drop in if you are in the area & dont just drive on by.Ill def be back again!

Very fun visit. Free and full of interesting information and displays.

If you in to naval history, then definitely worth a visit, even if a little run down.

Free entry and a fun hour or two depending how much you pace yourself.

A little gem tucked away like an Easter egg filled with beautiful history and machinery. A must see for young and old.

The meticulous detail of the models and artifacts on show give us a glimpse into the pride and humility of the sea fairing folk who came before and still goes on today. One of the few free attractions in cape town. While whats on display is pretty old its still worth paying tribute to these great men and woman.

Great South African Naval history,

My kid loved it

Really fantastic display ...a lot of naval history here.

My boys loved it. Even went back the next day. Something interesting for everyone.

This was a lovely part of our day. They made some parts of the museum interactive which is always a great idea!! They also branched out so even if you have been before, its worth another visit. It will be good if they advertise the museum more...so they can get more donations as entrance is free if charge :)

A fascinating look into South Africas naval and maritime history.

Well worth a visit! And better yet...its free entry. There are so many exhibits and facts. Youll need a couple of hours to go through everything and then your brain will be fried after that because of information overload. Everything is well laid out

Superb. If you enjoy looking at ships or just history in general, this is a great place. I enjoyed the Chapel, it is on site. The history of the Swans, Uniforms was so informative. A great day!

Great to know the history of our Navy

The South African Naval Museum is a maritime museum in Simons Town, South Africa. It contains collections and artefacts related to the maritime history of South Africa and the South African Navy.

Excellent display! Lots of info and well set up.

Very interesting, although very quiet

It was very nice to experience the history of SA Navy.

My auncle was Hally Smith and he live in Simonstown and as a child we visit him there so it bring back memories for me.

Clean, friendly staff and many interesting exhibits. Standing in the old church with the wall covered by the names of those giving their lives for a better world was a humbling experience.

Awesome History

This museum is very well kept, filled with interesting pieces of the past that are truly inspiring. My favourite part was that they have pictures of the first settlers that arrived in Simons Town. The museum is looked after by two elderly ladies that are just so friendly. If you love history, I would suggest you pop in there. Dont forget to collect as much post cards

The museum is a must if you are in Simons town for the day. It is interesting and has a lot of history and shows many events dating back to World War 1. It is well presented and looking at the displays, they are definitely worth the visit.I do however feel that once you have been here, you wont need to come back for years as the displays do not really change.

Thoroughly fun and interesting site to visit! Was a blast to walk through, though some may get tired before making it to the end. For the naval history buff, a must see destination!

Very interesting. Lots of info. You will need some time to read and look around. Maybe a second or third visit.

Interesting, informative, beautiful. Lots to see & learn about that you will not find in a school textbook. Maybe there could be a larger variety of mementos for sale...?

What an experience! A definite must if you are in the area. Unbelievable that a museum is so well kept, cared for and informative for young and old alike and it is all for free! If I were still in school, my visit there wouldve convinced me to pursue a career in the navy

A good museum with naval memorabilia, artefacts & weapons, also a fine chapel dedicated to the seamen of the SA navy. A good place to spend an hour if interested in seafaring history.

Absolutely brilliant and worth spending at least a few hours here if you have any military interests and even if not.Navy staff attend to the entrance and they are wonderfully helpful to answer questions.Entry is free but donations at your discretion are welcomed.You simply can’t visit Simonstown and not visit the Naval Museum.

Very informative. Exceptionally clean. To my surprise the kids enjoyed the exchibitions.Lady at the reception was friendly and professional. Our first time there. A disgrace being from Cape Town.

Very interesting * worth the visit

Very thorough history of the South African Navy from colonization in the 1600s through modern day. Includes several authentic armaments from various ships, a helicopter, and tons of great little pieces of history. It is a must visit for anyone proud of South African history or tourists interested in military adventures of the region.

We love visiting the Naval museum. Alot of history to see and learn from. Highly recommended if you visit Simons Town.

Wow! What a find - and for free it cannot get better. Although once you have visited you will want to make a donation. This museum is a real gem that both kids and adults will love. We spent over 2 hours exploring and the highlights included a control panel from a ship and a life-size submarine replica that the kids could play with, in and on. We learnt so much and felt so proud of our South African navy.

Beautiful experience. All naval staff willing to make this an unforgettable experience by sharing their knowledge. Wonderful. Highly reccomnended

Very interesting, very well-maintained and super family outing. Kids loved it. Well worth a visit!

A spectacular display of South Africas naval history with two amazing simulations - great for kids. A learning experience.

Pretty good place for some south African naval history and to sit on and take pictures with artifacts that you most likely would not be allowed to touch in other museums due to the fact they kind of let you wonder off and browse the museum without supervision lol South Africa definitely had a great navy in the past so its worth visiting for sure, restaurants are a stones throw away too so its a good pre or post lunch spot

Such friendly staff. Leaned some stuff. No entry fees, just donations. Loved it.

Great experience. It sure takes you back a good couple of years. No entry fee. There is however a donation box where you can privately contribute should you wish to do so.

Interesting place to see, the history and models of the ships. A very friendly chap at the desk, he is most helpful.

This museum is a great place to go and see how our maritime history is preserved. This is not just a place for military people to visit but all South Africans should see it.Entrance is free Monday to Sunday.

I was a TAS rating onboard the SAS President Kruger in 1973 - special memories of a great ship

First class!

Spend some time here. Do not rush through it. There are lots to see, and lots to learn.

So many interesting historical naval exhibits. Definitely worth a visit. Entrance is free but it is worth donating a bit in order to preserve part of South Africas naval history.

So interesting! A place to lose oneself in if you have the time. Something different at every stall.

Well presented. Would loved to have seen the submarine. Unfortunately it is being refurbished

Really worth a visit. My boys and hubby enjoyed it

A very thorough museum depicting Naval history. Its much bigger than it seems at first, and quite interesting even to people who are not necessarily interested in Naval history. Enjoyed the outing!

We had an amazing time here, our guide was extremely knowledgeable and helpful giving us bits of info about everything we asked even being not part of the tour.

Great for kids

Friendly and welcoming staff. There are a lot of information and its well maintained and looked after. Its quite interesting to learn about the history and a good place to bring children.

A must visit. Interesting historical naval excebitions. Well maintained.

A free, intellectually rewarding experience which makes you really appreciate our history. Everything is so well preserved with attention to the slightest detail. Definitely worth a visit and donation.