Welcome to the SA NAVAL MUSEUM
The origins of the Naval Museum date back to 1966 when a naval historical collection was displayed at the Castle Military and Maritime Museum in Cape Town. In the mid 1970’s a part the naval collection was transferred to the Martello Tower in Simon’s Town and thereafter, Fort Wynyard in Cape Town, which also incorporated the Museum of Coast and Anti-aircraft Artillery.
With the decentralization of all Department of Defence Museums from the former Directorate Military Museums to the various Arms of Service in June 1987, Martello Tower was transferred to the functional control of the SA Navy (today a satellite of the Naval Museum) and Fort Wynyard to Western Province Command of the SA Army (today with Cape Garrison Artillery).
Investigations to establish a dedicated museum for the SA Navy in Simon’s Town were launched during 1988 it was eventually decided that the most appropriate location for the new museum would be the former Royal Navy Mast House that dates back to 1815 and the adjacent Dutch Store House that dates back to 1743. Both buildings are located in the historic West Dockyard of Naval Base Simon’s Town.
The new SA Naval Museum was opened by Chief of the Navy, Vice Admiral Simpson-Anderson on 1 April 1993. The first phase of the new display comprised exhibitions of the historic clock tower and part of the sail loft, while the second phase of the development included the utilization of two display areas on ground level of the historic Mast House, depicting the history and functioning of the Submarine, Divers and Weapons branch. The third phase included the conversion of part of the adjacent old Dutch Store House to house the General Botha display, the Hydrographic Printing display, the Transformation display and Russian Arctic Convoy display.
NAVAL BASE SIMON'S TOWN
Simon's Town (Afrikaans: Simonstad), is a town near Cape Town and home to the South African Navy. It is located on the shores of False Bay, on the eastern side of the Cape Peninsula. It has been a naval base for more than two centuries (first for the Royal Navy and now the South African Navy). The town is named after Simon van der Stel, an early governor of the Cape Colony.
Naval Base Simon’s Town is the South African Navy’s premier naval base and provides support functions to the Fleet.
A small dockyard facility was first established in Simon’s Town by the Dutch East India Company in 1743. This was taken over by the British Royal Navy in the 1790s, under whom the facility was further developed over the following century and a half. A pair of stone storehouses dating from the 1740s stand on the seafront where they were built by the Dutch East India Company, marking the initial location of the Yard. Immediately adjacent is the earliest Royal Naval building on the site (a combined mast-house, boathouse and sail loft); dating from 1815, today the home of the South African Naval Museum.
Over the next few decades the site was developed gradually, with steam engineering and coaling facilities being added. In 1885 the government of the Cape Colony transferred the assets of the Simon’s Bay Dock and Patent Slip Company to the British Admiralty. By the close of the century, however, it became clear that more space would be needed to accommodate the requirements of a modern Navy. In 1898 a large site was acquired to the east of the original Yard for a dockyard extension. Construction began in 1900. The new harbour would encompass an area of 11 hectares, with a breakwater of 914 m long. It also contained the Selborne Graving Dock, a drydock facility 240 m long and 29 m wide with a sizeable steam factory constructed alongside.
The naval base was handed over to South Africa in 1957 under the Simonstown Agreement and expanded between 1962 and 1979 when a large area of land was reclaimed and the harbour walls were extended to form a new Tidal Basin.
on display
The South African Naval Museum displays the history of the South African Navy from its early origins in 1922 when the South African Naval Service was established, and shows its involvement and expansion during and after the Second World War (1939-1945) with the establishment of the Seaward Defence Force and South African Naval Forces. The displays also show the historical ties with the British Royal Navy, the age of sail and South African involvement during the First World War (1914-1918). The Transformation Display details the important events of the 1990s which culminated in the establishment of the new South African National Defence Force in 1994 and transformation of the South African Navy through the years.
- The Dockyard Clock
- Sail Loft & Mast House
- Hydrographic Display
- First World War
- Labour Corps Display
- Second World War
- SWANS Display
- Mine Counter Measures
- SAS President Kruger
- SA Marines Display
- Communication Display
- Gunnery and missile
- Anti-submarine
- Submarine display
- Sailing Display
- Firefighting Display
- Diving Display
- Training Ship
- Hydrographic and Printing
- Russian Arctic Convoy
- Chiefs of the SA Navy
- Transformation
Events
CANNON FIRING – HERITAGE DAY – 24 SEPTEMBER 2022
Middle North Battery, Simon's Town 24 September 2022; 11:30
The South African Naval Museum and the Cannon Association of South Africa will conduct a single firing of the museum's historic Rifled Muzzle Loader Cannon at Middle North Battery on 24 September 2022 [...]
MUSEUM CANNON FIRING – REMEMBRANCE DAY – 11 NOVEMBER 2023
Middle North Battery, Simon's Town 11 November 2023; 10:30
The South African Naval Museum and the Cannon Association of South Africa will conduct a single firing of the museum's historic Rifled Muzzle Loader Cannon at Middle North Battery on 11 November 2023 [...]