The Diamond Museum in Cape Town, V&A Waterfront
The Cape Town Diamond Museum is an interesting attraction to both tourists and locals to learn about diamonds in Cape Town and South Africa.
This Cape Town museum is truly like a diamond in the rough and worth visiting at the V&A Waterfront.
When is the Cape Town Diamond Museum open to the public?
Open | Mon – Sun 09:00 – 21:00
Contact | 021 421 2488021 421 2488
Where is the Cape Town Diamond Museum?
Level 1 in the Clock Tower at the V&A Waterfront.
What is the admission fee?
R100 per person. Pensioners and children under 14 years pay no admission fee.
What can I expect to see and experience at the Cape Town attraction?
The museum breaks down their exhibitions into four parts.
Experience, Explore, Discover and Learn.
- Experience
The sophisticated museum filled with the stories of one of the world’s most treasured gemstones; Diamonds.
- Explore
The beginning, history and development of the diamond industry in South Africa.
- Discover
The world’s most well-known diamonds that became famous over the decades. On display you will also find life size replicas.
- Learn
How these rough stones are formed and the process which is undertaken to transform them into perfectly cut diamonds. Diamond mining, the procedure of cutting and polishing and all about specific diamond shapes and cuts.
Are there guided tours?
Yes. Guided tours are hosted by diamond professionals and the duration of the tour can be anything between 25 and 40 minutes. A maximum of 10 adults are allowed per tour.
How far back does the diamond history go in South Africa?
The history of the diamond industry begins in 1866 when Erasmus Jacobs found a diamond on his father’s farm.
Which other famous people can I learn about at the Cape Town Diamond Museum?
Erasmus Stephanus Jacobs (1851-1933), Johannes Nicolaas De Beer (1830-1894), Barney Barnato (1852-1897), Cecil John Rhodes (1853-1902), Thomas Cullinan (1862-1936), Sir Ernest Oppenheimer (1880-1957) and Harry Openheimer (1908-2000).
Which famous diamonds can I learn about and expect to see replicas of at the museum?
The Eureka, Cullinan, Cullinan 1 (Star of Africa), Hope Diamond, Excelsior, Star of Sierra Leone, Golden Jubilee, Incomparable, Centenary Diamond, Jubilee, De Beers, Millennium Star, Jonker, Premier Rose, Tiffany Yellow Diamond, Niarchos Diamond, Koh-I-Noor, Great Mogul, Taylor Burton, Kimberley and The Heart of Eternity.
Some interesting South African diamond facts:
- During the 1870’s and 1880’s South Africa was producing 95% of the worlds diamonds.
- The Cullinan Diamond was the largest gem quality diamond ever found. It weighed 3106ct and was found in the Transvaal on 26 January 1905.
- Today the De Beers Company controls almost all diamonds on earth.
- The Excelsior was probably the second largest stone ever found. It weighed 995.2ct and was found at the Jagersfontein Mine in 1893.
Content | Ed Beukes