Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa
Cape Town · South Africa · Founded 2017
Quick answer
Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) is a contemporary art museum located in the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, South Africa. Open Wednesday to Monday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM; closed Tuesdays. Admission: R250 for international visitors. Allow 2 hours.
Visitor information last reviewed 30 June 2026. Check the official museum site for current details.
Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa at a glance: hours, tickets and time needed
| Opening hours | Wednesday to Monday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
|---|---|
| Closed | Tuesdays |
| Admission | R250 for international visitors |
| Free or reduced entry | Free for African residents on the first Friday of each month · Wednesday evenings from 5 PM free for South African citizens |
| Booking | Tickets usually available on the day |
| Time needed | 2 hours |
| Getting there | Walk: V&A Waterfront — 5-minute walk from the Clock Tower precinct, accessible from the ferry terminal |
| Address | Silo District, S Arm Rd, Waterfront, Cape Town, 8801, South Africa |
| Official website | zeitzmocaa.museum |
Checked 2026-06-30 against the official website. Prices and hours change — confirm before you travel.
What is Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa known for?
Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) is a contemporary art museum located in the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, South Africa. The museum opened on 22 September 2017 and is the largest museum of contemporary African art in the world.
The non-profit institution is housed in a converted grain silo that was once the tallest building in sub-Saharan Africa. The conversion was designed by British designer Thomas Heatherwick, who carved out an atrium from the existing 42 silo tubes to create the museum's dramatic central space.
The museum focuses exclusively on contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora since the year 2000, providing a permanent home for collecting, preserving, and exhibiting cutting-edge contemporary art.
Across nine floors and 100 galleries it presents work by leading artists including Kudzanai Chiurai, William Kentridge, Athi-Patra Ruga, Nicholas Hlobo, and Zanele Muholi, alongside dedicated centres for photography, the moving image, performative practice, costume, and art education.
Best for: Art Lovers · First-timers · Rainy-day visits
How long do you need at Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa?
Allow 2 hours. A focused route through 2 must-see highlights at Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa without museum fatigue. Follow the stops in order:
- 1
Tumelo (series)
📍 Rotating galleries
South African visual activist Muholi's large-scale black-and-white portraits document and celebrate queer and transgender Black South African lives.
- 2
Four Wrapped Rhino Horns
📍 Contemporary African Art galleries
A commentary on the illegal trade in rhino horn — four horns wrapped in cloth, their brutal commercial value hidden inside ordinary packaging.
What are the must-see works at Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa?
2 highlights that define the collection: Tumelo (series), Four Wrapped Rhino Horns.
Tumelo (series)
Zanele Muholi · 2010s
📍 Rotating galleries
South African visual activist Muholi's large-scale black-and-white portraits document and celebrate queer and transgender Black South African lives. The work is both art and archive — a counter-history to invisibility.
Four Wrapped Rhino Horns
Ndidi Dike · 2010
📍 Contemporary African Art galleries
A commentary on the illegal trade in rhino horn — four horns wrapped in cloth, their brutal commercial value hidden inside ordinary packaging. A characteristic piece from the Zeitz collection's emphasis on politically engaged contemporary African art.
Collections and highlights
- • The carved silo atrium by Thomas Heatherwick
- • Works by William Kentridge
- • Photography Centre featuring Zanele Muholi
- • Performative Practice gallery
- • Rooftop sculpture garden with views over Table Bay
How do you get to Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa?
- walk V&A Waterfront — 5-minute walk from the Clock Tower precinct, accessible from the ferry terminal
- bus MyCiTi bus routes to the V&A Waterfront (Portswood Road terminus)
- taxi 10 minutes from Cape Town CBD and central hotels; Uber widely available
- ferry Water taxi from the harbour cruise boats (some operators stop at the Waterfront basin near MOCAA)
Address: Silo District, S Arm Rd, Waterfront, Cape Town, 8801, South Africa
Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa: frequently asked questions
What was the Zeitz MOCAA building before it became a museum?
The building was a grain silo complex built in 1921 by the Grain Elevator Company, which for decades was the tallest building in sub-Saharan Africa. At its peak it stored 100,000 tonnes of grain and was a working industrial facility. It was decommissioned in 1990 and stood derelict for over 20 years on Cape Town's waterfront. British designer Thomas Heatherwick (Studio Heatherwick) won the commission to transform it into a museum, carving out the spectacular central atrium from the existing 42 cylindrical concrete silo tubes — an extraordinary feat of adaptive reuse.
Who designed the Zeitz MOCAA conversion?
Thomas Heatherwick of Studio Heatherwick (London) designed the conversion of the historic grain silo into Zeitz MOCAA, which opened in 2017. Heatherwick's approach preserved the existing concrete silo tubes — 42 cylindrical columns — and carved out an interconnected labyrinth of galleries and a soaring central atrium by cutting into and between the cylinders. The cathedrallike atrium, which rises the full height of the building, was created by extrapolating a grain of corn mathematically and cutting its shape through the silo. It is considered one of the great adaptive reuse projects in contemporary architecture.
What kind of art does Zeitz MOCAA show?
Zeitz MOCAA (Museum of Contemporary Art Africa) focuses exclusively on contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora created after the year 2000. Across nine floors and 100 galleries, the museum shows paintings, sculpture, photography, video, film, performance, costume, and installation by leading African artists including William Kentridge, Zanele Muholi, Kudzanai Chiurai, Athi-Patra Ruga, and Nicholas Hlobo. The museum has dedicated centres for Photography, the Moving Image, Performative Practice, Costume Institute, and Art Education.
Are there free admission days at Zeitz MOCAA?
Yes — African passport holders and South African residents enter free on the first Friday of each month. Children under 18 enter free at all times. Standard international adult admission is R250. The rooftop sculpture garden and views over Table Bay are included in admission. The museum is closed on Tuesdays.
Is Zeitz MOCAA worth visiting?
Yes — Zeitz MOCAA is considered one of the most architecturally significant and culturally important new museums opened in the 21st century. It is the largest museum of contemporary African art in the world and occupies a unique position as the primary institutional home for contemporary African creativity. The building itself — Thomas Heatherwick's silo conversion — is as compelling as the art inside, and the rooftop sculpture garden with views of Table Mountain and the harbour is exceptional. Plan 2–3 hours for the galleries.
How long should I spend at Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa?
Plan 2 hours for the highlights of Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa. Add extra time for temporary exhibitions, the shop and the café.
Is Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa open on Tuesdays?
No — Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa is closed every Tuesday. It is open Wednesday to Monday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM. Plan a different museum for that day, and check the official website for holiday changes.
What are Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa's opening hours?
Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa is open Wednesday to Monday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM, and closed Tuesdays. Hours can change for holidays and events, so check the official website before you go.
