Heart of Cape Town Museum

On 3 December 1967 a surgical team led by Professor Christiaan Barnard carried out the first human heart transplant at Groote Schuur Hospital, on the slopes of Devil’s Peak in Observatory. The Heart of Cape Town Museum occupies the hospital’s old main building and tells that story in the rooms where it happened. It suits anyone with an interest in medicine or the 1960s, and it is a different kind of Cape Town history from the usual colonial sights.

What to expect

This is a guided visit rather than a museum you wander through. You follow the story room by room: first the intensive care ward that held the donor, Denise Darvall, then the pair of theatres where the surgeons worked. Along the way the guide explains who Barnard was, how the team prepared, and what happened to the recipient, Louis Washkansky. Tours take about one and a half to two hours.

Practical details

The museum is at Groote Schuur Hospital, Main Road, Observatory. Visitor parking is directly outside, at Entrance 3 of the Old Main Building. It opens Monday to Friday, with tours at 9am, 11am and 1pm, plus a 3pm tour by prior booking only. Weekend tours run only for groups of six or more, booked ahead. Booking is essential. Telephone +27 21 404 1967 or email info@heartofcapetown.co.za.

Good to know

The museum does not recommend the tour for children under ten, because parts of it are graphic and the walk is tiring. If you book through a third-party ticket site, contact the museum directly as well to confirm your slot, which it asks visitors to do. Remember this is inside a working hospital, so allow time to find the entrance.

Last updated 6 October 2026. Sources: Heart of Cape Town Museum, Heart of Cape Town Museum, tour information, Wikipedia.