Celebrate Heritage Day and explore the history of Cape Town or join a community event
20 September 2025
Explore the city’s heritage with a visit to The Attic Exhibition, a virtual tour of historic objects and art, or several community recreation and sports events.
The exhibition, managed by the Arts and Culture Branch, uses some of the unique, valuable and important art and objects from the City’s Civic Collection of Movable Heritage Assets, to tell the story of the history and development of Cape Town.
The art and objects in the Civic Collection are the heritage of the people of Cape Town. Some date back hundreds of years, while others speak to our more recent history.
‘Heritage should be celebrated every day, but September shines a particular spotlight on our legacy past and present. While it helps shape our identities as individuals and as a people, it provides a connection to our shared history and helps us understand how we got to this point. It also lays a foundation for the future so we can build better and stronger communities,’ said Councillor Francine Higham.
The Attic Exhibition is open from Monday to Friday, between 09:00 and 15:00. You can read more about the exhibition at www.capetown.gov.za/TheAttic. For group visits or to arrange a tour, please contact us at Civic.Collection@capetown.gov.za.
There are many other events taking place to celebrate Heritage Day. Please contact the venue or library directly for further details or to book your spot.
Event | Date | Time | Venue |
Designing heritage dolls | 22 & 23 September | 15:00 – 16:30 | Ocean View Library |
Proudly South African outreach | 23 September | 11:00 – 12:00 | Central Library |
Exploring South Africa's cultures | 23 September | 10:00 – 12:00 | Bothasig Library |
Sports day | 24 September | 10:00 - 15:00 | Downberg Sports Complex |
Heritage month celebration | 25 September | 11:00 – 14:00 | Masiphumelele Library |
Exploring South Africa's cultures | 25 September | 11:00 -14:00 | Tokai Library |
Traditional dishes | 25 September | 09:00 – 10:00 | Delft South Library |
Traditional lunch | 25 September | 12:00 – 14:00 | Delft South Library |
Writing your heritage | 26 September | 10:00 – 11:00 | Bellville Library |
Heritage art activity | 26 September | 15:00 – 16:00 | Bellville Library |
For those who prefer to let their fingers do the walking, the Digital Vault offers the opportunity to access and explore the interesting artworks, objects, monuments and memorials that make up the City’s collection.
The Digital Vault is an online tool to manage art and heritage objects owned by the City, and to make these accessible to everyone.
Each item in the vault is listed with high quality images, descriptive information and some of the stories that make the item valuable and important. Artists and the public can also apply for a Public Art Permit via the Digital Vault, making this process much more convenient for both the applicants and City officials.
The City of Cape Town's rich and varied history is reflected in its collections which include paintings, sculptures, memorials, murals, antique furniture, medals, Mayoral Regalia and other interesting artefacts.
The Vault can be accessed and explored by visiting www.capetown.gov.za/DigitalVault
‘We commemorate our heritage to not only honour our diverse cultures, traditions, and history, but also to celebrate our present and promote the contributions of everyone to a better future. If you’re not able to join in one of our community events, I want to encourage our residents to mark the day in their own way,’ added Councillor Higham.
Captions: Councillor Higham visited The Attic Exhibition.
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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
